Swiss Chard Or Spinach Pie Food

GREEK SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan (I like to use a ceramic dish for this). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. If you are not using phyllo dough for this, remove 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs, for brushing the crust, and crumble or blend in the feta. Toss with the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line the pie dish with two-thirds of the dough, or with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. For pie dough, roll out the other piece of the dough and place over the filling. Crimp the bottom and top edges together, then pinch an attractive fluted edge all the way around the rim of the pie. Brush the top with the beaten egg you set aside, and make a few slashes in the top crust so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

SWISS CHARD PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• Grate the Comte cheese.
• Peel and grate the potato.
• Fill a large pot with water and put on high heat to boil.
• Wash the Swiss chard and remove the stems.
• Rip or chop up the chard.
• Add the chard to the water for about 4 minutes (until tender).
• Chop the onion while the chard cooks.
• Drain the chard and run under cold water.
• Squeeze out the excess water from the chard.
• Mix chard, onion, potato, cheeses and oregano in a large bowl (optional: add salt and pepper to taste).
• Add lightly beaten eggs (or use egg-beaters to avoid cholesterol like I do).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Lay out one phyllo dough sheet on a non-stick baking sheet, lightly brush with olive oil.
• Place another phyllo sheet on top of the first, brush with oil.
• Repeat until you have used about five sheets of phyllo dough.
• Spoon the chard mixture onto the middle of the pile of phyllo sheets and spread it out (about 1/2 inch from edges).
• Layer the last five phyllo dough sheets (one by one, brushing each with oil) over the chard mixture.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (phyllo crust should be light brown on edges, and very flaky).

SWISS CHARD (OR SPINACH) PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°.
• Brown onion and garlic in oil.
• Trim and chop chard, add to pan and cook down until wilted.
• Beat eggs in a bowl; mix in cheese, salt and chard mixture.
• Pour into pie crusts; bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 30-40 minute.

SILVERBEET ( SWISS CHARD) AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5 mins or until soft.
• Add the mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes
• Add the silverbeet, nutmeg and season. Cover the saucepan and cook until the silverbeet wilts.
• Remove from the heat, stir the silverbeet through the mushrooms and drain any excess moisture.
• Transfer the silverbeet mixture into a large 6 cup capacity baking dish.
• Whisk the eggs and cream together, season and stir through the grated cheese, then pour the egg mixture over the silverbeet mixture, swirl the egg mixture through the silverbeet using a fork.
• Bake the pie for 40 mins or until golden and set. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

SPINACH & RICE CRUSTLESS PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease the sides and bottom of a 12 inch spring-form pan, and then sprinkle in 3/4 of the breadcrumbs.
• Turn the pan from side to side to coat the sides and bottom with the crumbs.
• Reserve the remaining breadcrumbs for the top.
• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan and add the onion and pancetta and cook until the onion is translucent, and the pancetta is lightly browned.
• In a separate pan, wilt the spinach over low heat, then squeeze out all excess liquid, chop, and set aside.
• Add the rice to the onions and toast over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continually.
• Add a ladle full of the broth and stir, cooking and adding broth as the rice cooks until it is al dente.
• Add the spinach to the rice and mix well, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
• Reserving one egg yolk, lightly beat the rest of the eggs, and then stir these into the rice mixture along with the grated cheese and oregano.
• Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Pour the rice mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon.
• Lightly beat the remaining egg yolk and brush it across the top of the torta, then sprinkle on the remaining breadcrumbs.
• Bake the torta for 55 minutes to an hour until set.
• While the torta is baking, mix together the topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Serve the torta warm or at room temperature in slices with a scoop of the tomato topping.

SAVORY SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Spray a 9-inch ceramic pie pan lightly with non-stick spray.
• Wash the chard but do not dry. Remove the center stem from each leaf. Set the leaves aside and chop the stems into small pieces. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and chard stems until softened (about 5 minutes), adding a tablespoon of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Meanwhile, cut the chard leaves into bite-sized pieces. Add them to the pan along with the garlic, reduce heat, and cover. Cook until all chard is wilted. Remove from heat. If any water has accumulated, drain it; then spread chard in bottom of prepared pie pan.
• Place tofu and remaining ingredients in a blender, and puree until very smooth. Pour over the chard in the pie pan. Use a spoon to gently open holes through the chard so that the tofu mixture penetrates it. Smooth the top so that tofu layer is even and covers all the chard.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
• Servings: 4.

SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan or a ceramic dish. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir in the cheese. Stir in the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line the pie dish with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. Brush the top with the butter or oil, and make a few slashes so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.
• ADVANCE PREPERATION:
• The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator in a covered bowl for 3 or 4 days. The dish can be prepared through Step 2 up to a day ahead. Keep the cooked greens in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. You can assemble the pie several hours before baking and keep it in the refrigerator, or freezer. Transfer directly from the freezer to the preheated oven, and increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. The finished tart keeps for a few days, but you must re-crisp the phyllo in a low oven (300º to 325ºF) for 10 to 20 minutes.