Kolokithopita - Greek Zucchini Pie
Kolokithopita, or Greek Zucchini Pie, is a perfect comfort food for the end of Summer. The dish is a simple combination of zucchini, onions, herbs, eggs & feta, wrapped in a flaky phyllo dough, which makes for an awesome, light vegetarian meal.
Kolokithopita, or Greek Zucchini Pie, is a perfect comfort food for the end of Summer. The dish is a simple combination of zucchini, onions, herbs, eggs & feta, wrapped in a flaky phyllo dough, which makes for an awesome, light vegetarian meal.
- Carbohydrate 2.22437244791667 g
- Cholesterol 1.8375 mg
- Fat 13.9054555322456 g
- Fiber 0.00979947916666667 g
- Protein 1.52458046875 g
- Saturated Fat 2.11617989740913 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (84g)
- Sodium 48.5206458335616 mg
- Sugar 2.21457296875 g
- Trans Fat 0.386303646142375 g
- Calories 138 calories
Step-by-step
- Shred the zucchini and place it in a coriander for about an hour;
- Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil on a skillet, add chopped onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes until translucent; cool it down;
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C);
- Chop parsley, dill and mint;
- In a bowl combine feta and eggs, season with salt & pepper;
- Squeezing extra excess of water out, place zucchini in a large bowl; add onions, herbs and eggs/feta mixture;
- Brush the bottom of baking dish (13 x 9 inches) with olive oil; place first layer of phyllo dough and brush with olive oil; continue until you have 6 layers;
- Pour the zucchini filling into the baking dish;
- Cover with a sheet of phyllo dough and brush with olive oil; continue until you have 6 layers of phyllo dough;
- Fold over the flaps of the dough, and brush the entire top with olive oil;
- Using knife make few wholes in the dough;
- Bake in the center of the oven for an hour or until the crust is crisp and golden brown.
- Cut into squares and serve warm.
Raw zucchini contains roughly ninety-four percent water by weight, a moisture level that will inevitably turn layered pastry into a soggy failure unless osmotic pressure is actively managed. Salting shredded squash draws out intracellular fluid via osmosis, but gravity alone remains insufficient; physical compression is mandatory before the vegetable meets dairy and eggs. Squeezing the drained zucchini firmly removes residual water that would otherwise steam the interior of the pie and prevent the starch matrices from setting properly.
Constructing the crust requires methodical fat distribution between fragile sheets of phyllo dough. Brushing extra virgin olive oil uniformly across individual layers creates micro-barriers of lipids, preventing the moisture from the filling from migrating upward during the one-hour bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scoring the top sheets with a sharp knife before baking allows internal steam to escape cleanly without rupturing the puffed pastry top.
Adapting this formulation for different dietary needs requires targeted ingredient swaps. Replacing standard feta with firm, salted block tofu combined with nutritional yeast replicates the crumbly texture and savory punch of sheep's milk cheese without dairy. Gluten-free adaptations present a greater structural challenge because commercial gluten-free pastry sheets lack the elastic protein network needed for flaky layers; substituting laminated puff pastry alternatives or pressing a grain-free crust into the 13x9-inch dish maintains structural integrity. Leftover portions stored in the refrigerator retain their texture best when recrisped in a 325-degree oven rather than a microwave, which introduces steam and ruins the flaky crust.
