Patsavouropita- Greek Rag Pie Recipe on National Pie Day

Patsavouropita (Πατσαβουρόπιτα) is a traditional Greek phyllo pie, which is very easy to make and, even better- tastes fantastic. Let's Make this treat today on National Pie Day, the 23rd of January

It is the combination of two words:

• "Patsavoura”, which translates to rag
• “Pita” which means pie

Together, it describes its carelessly assembled appearance.

Nigella Lucy Lawson is an English food writer, chef and cooking show host. She taps into the rhythms of our cooking lives with uncomplicated, relaxed and yet always satisfying recipes.

"This is a salty-sweet version (think Greek cheesecake) of the Greek Patsavouropita, created by bakeries as a way of using up old scraps of filo pastry: the ”old rags” indicated by the title. They’d just go along their counters, collect up all the bits and turn them into this pie. For this reason, you don’t need to worry about keeping your filo covered as you go, as is usually advised. It doesn’t matter if it dries out a little as you make it, indeed this can even be desirable," she writes.

Nigella shares her recipe.

Ingredients

• 100 grams soft unsalted butter
• 270 grams frozen filo pastry (thawed)
• 250 grams feta cheese
• 2 teaspoons grated parmesan
• 2 teaspoons leaves from fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 large eggs
• 150 millilitres full fat milk
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon good runny honey (such as Greek thyme honey or orange blossom honey), plus more to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then take it off the heat.
2. Line your cake tin with a layer of filo, making sure it comes up the sides; you will need to use more than one sheet. Then pour 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the pastry.
3. Using one third of the remaining filo sheets, tear and scrunch the sheets up and drop them loosely in the tin. Then crumble in half the feta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Parmesan and just under ½ teaspoon of thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme) and pour a third of the remaining melted butter over the top.
4. Repeat, so that you use up all but a little of the butter and a small amount of thyme. For the last layer, you can use larger pieces of filo “rags” (as it’s the lid), filling the tin a little more tightly, but still scrunching them.
5. Fold the edges of overhanging filo over themselves, and pour the remaining butter on top. Using the sharp point of a knife, make 2 cuts down and 2 cuts across into the filo-packed tin, from edge to edge to create 9 sections. It’s important that you don’t use a blunt knife, as you don’t want to drag the filo or press down on it.
6. Beat the eggs with the milk, then pour over the tin contents. Sprinkle the last bit of thyme along with the sesame seeds on top. Let it stand for at least 30 minutes in a cool place before baking. If 2 hours is easier for your timetable, then put it in the fridge. And you can do this in advance (see Note).
7. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400°F, and bake the pie for 30 minutes. When it’s ready, the pastry will be golden and puffed up, and the inside set.
8. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then spoon 1 tablespoon of the runny honey over the top.
9. Cut into slices or slabs – using a serrated bread knife and sawing action to prevent squishing the filo on top too much, then pushing the knife down to cut through. Serve the pie directly from the tin and put the jar of runny honey, with a spoon in it (or you can pour it into a jug) on the table for people to add extra as they eat.

Additional Information

Make ahead note: The pie can be made one day in advance and kept in the fridge. Pie can also be frozen at this stage, in which case, cook from frozen, as Freeze Note.

Store note: The pie is best on the day it is made, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge, on a plate covered with clingfilm or in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Slices can be reheated in an oven preheated to 150°C/130°C Fan/gas mark 2/300ºF for 15–30 minutes until piping hot. Cool for 5 minutes before serving (this will crisp up the filo again).

Freeze note: Wrap tin tightly in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, unwrap the tin and put it into a cold oven, then turn the oven on to 200°C/180°C. Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF and bake for 45–55 minutes. If the top browns too much (check at about 40 minutes), cover with foil. Make sure the pie is piping hot in the centre before removing it from oven.

Leftovers can also be frozen, tightly wrapped in a double layer of clingfilm and then put into a resealable bag or wrapped in foil for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as per Store Note.

*Source: Nigella