Kolokythopita (Greek Savory Pumpkin Pie)

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Kolokythopita (pronounced koh-loh-kee-THOH-pee-tah) in Greek Κολοκυθόπιτα is a compound word from “kolokythi” (squash) and pita (pie). This Greek savory pie is made with butternut squash and fresh xinomyzithra, a cheese from Chania, Crete.

I have been seeing so many pumpkin recipes popping up everywhere in the blogosphere and with Halloween coming up soon I thought to share these recipes with you in case you wish to make something different this year.

When I went to the farmers’ market a couple of weeks ago, I bought a hug piece of pumpkin about four kilos.  After making this pie, I also made Kolokotes (a Cypriot pastry with pumpkin) and used it to make Veal in Dark Beer with a Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Sauce.

 To make this new recipe apart from butternut squash and xinomyzithra,  I flavoured it with fennel and I added the rice to absorb any juices from the pumpkin, as I do with kolokotes.  Xinomyzithra is a low fat Greek cheese and it is not salty.  It has a slightly sour taste and it pairs wonderfully with the sweet pumpkin.    If you cannot find fresh xinomyzithra you may substitute it with a mixture of anthotyro and feta.

This pie gets better, if there is leftover, the next day.  To warm it up, I just put it on the toaster but without the upper plate pressing the pie.

This pie was made with homemade phyllo but you can certainly make it with store bought phyllo.  Use more sheets of phyllo (follow the instruction given in my recipe for Spanakopita) brusing each sheet with olive oil.

Kolokythopita (Greek Savory Pumpkin Pie) –

Makes: 3 phyllos for a 24 cm baking tin

Ingredients:

For dough:

• 1 dose homemade dough  or store bought phyllo
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds for sprinkling on top
• Extra olive oil for brushing the phyllos

For the filling:

• 750 grams butternut squash, grated
  
• 450 grams myzithra
• 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, finely chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup carolina rice or arborio
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. See step by step instructions how to make phyllo or if using store bought follow instructions given here.   
2. Grate the pumpkin and add myzithra, fennel, olive oil, rice, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well until the cheese becomes like cream.
3. Brush your baking tin with olive oil.
4. Make the first phyllo bigger than your baking tin so as to cover the sides of the tin.Brush with about two tablespoons of olive oil and proceed with the second phyllo.  Do no brush the second  phyllo as the filling is added.
5. Add the last phyllo, cut the edges and join the phyllos together by pinching and twisting them to stick together.
6. Brush with olive oil on top.
7. Score the phyllos with a sharp knife to form the pieces and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
8. Bake in a preheated oven, to 180 ^οC for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.
9. Remove to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

At the end of making the pie there was some leftover phyllo from the bits and pieces cut, which I rolled out into another phyllo and made a few pischies, with honey.

Today is a National Holiday, as we are celebrating Ochi Day.  To all my Greek and Cypriot friends and readers  “Chronia Polla”!

Other relevant recipes:

Kolokythopita me  Spanaki (Butternut Squash and Spinach Pie)

Sweet Kolokythopita

Kolokotes

A twist on traditional Kolokotes

Badjina (the naked pie)

Veal in Dark Beer with a Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Sauce.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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