An other version of Spanakopita from the Ikaria Island !!!!

When Diane Kochilas said we were making phyllo, I confess I was intimidated. But as Kochilas taught me, although “phyllo” means “leaf,” that leaf need not be the paper-thin type we’re accustomed to seeing in flaky Middle Eastern pastries. It may be, as it is here, a thin but readily made dough, rich in olive oil, smooth to the touch and easy to handle.

Kochilas’s father is Greek, but she was born in New York and now divides her time among Athens, where she has primarily lived since 1992; the island of Ikaria, where she runs a cooking school; and Manhattan. It’s mostly thanks to her 10 books that I know a bit about cooking Greek food.

In her Athens kitchen this past fall, Kochilas and I made hortopita, essentially a massive pile of mixed greens, herbs, leek and winter squash, all encased in the phyllo. It’s a bit of work, to be sure, but Kochilas has codified the process so that it’s straightforward, and the results are both delicious and impressive.

We got together because I had asked her how to make strapatsada, a simple dish of eggs scrambled into grated tomatoes with which I’d become enamored. But this was a flimsy excuse, because she could (and did) describe how to make the dish in five minutes. And so we tackled the pie.

Kochilas’s counter was half-covered in greens, one of which I’d never seen (Mediterranean hartwort, which I’ll probably never see again); the others — sorrel, chard, wild fennel, chervil and others — are more common. But hortopita began, and for many people continues, as a collection of wild greens gathered from their gardens or surrounding hills; whatever you find is what you use. “Any combination of sweet (as in not bitter) leafy greens and aromatic herbs will work,” Kochilas said, “except basil, which Greeks never use in pies. The more the merrier.” But to me, chard and chervil are standouts. Otherwise, think of the ingredient list here as a suggestion; you want a big pile of greens and herbs. Gathering them is a bigger challenge than making the phyllo, which, with this recipe, shouldn’t be intimidating at all.This terrific recipe for a massive pile of mixed greens, herbs, leek and winter squash, all encased in homemade phyllo dough, came to The Times from the noted Greek-born food writer and cooking instructor Diane Kochilas, with whom Mark Bittman cooked in her Athens apartment. It’s a bit of work, to be sure, but Kochilas has codified the process so that it’s straightforward, and the results are both delicious and impressive. It's important to note that the phyllo dough created here need not be the extremely thin version we see in pastries, but rather a reasonably thin and easily worked dough rich in olive oil. It seems daunting. It is not.
It seems scary at first, making your own phyllo dough. But with this recipe, we learn that although phyllo means leaf, that leaf need not be the paper-thin kind we’re used to seeing in Middle Eastern pastry. A Greek chef, Diane Kochilas, gives the lesson here, and she’s not overly careful of the dough, she patches holes where needed and she uses a good amount of olive oil. It’s delicious.

For the Phyllo

Ingredients

• 3 ½ to 4 ½ cups finely ground durum semolina
• 1 scant teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation

1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 3 1/4 cups of the flour and salt. Add the water, olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes, then increase speed to medium. Knead with the hook, stopping the mixer to add additional flour in 1/4-cup increments as needed, until the dough is very smooth and pliant. The whole mixing process should take about 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. You can store the dough, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. Bring to room temperature before using. (If it’s frozen, first defrost in the refrigerator.)

For the Pie

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and shredded
• Coarse sea salt
• 1 bunch Swiss chard (preferably green stemmed)
• ½ pound flat-leaf spinach
• 1 bunch sweet sorrel
• 1 bunch Mediterranean hartwort, about 1 1/2 cups, chopped
• 1 bunch chervil, about 1 1/2 cups chopped
• 1 ½ cups snipped fresh dill
• 3 bunches wild fennel, leaves only, about 2 1/2 cups chopped
• 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 small bunch mint leaves, chopped
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, tough greens trimmed and discarded, whites rinsed well and chopped
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 1 recipe for homemade phyllo, at room temperature and divided into four equal-size balls
• Flour for rolling out the pastry

Preparation

1. Put the pumpkin in a colander, salt lightly and toss. Weight the pumpkin with a plate and weights (some canned food will do), and drain for about an hour. Trim, wash, drain and coarsely chop the greens and herbs.
2. Preheat the oven to 350. Squeeze the pumpkin to get rid of as much liquid as possible. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet (or wide pot), and cook the pumpkin until it wilts and most or all of its liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Wipe the skillet clean, and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in it; cook down the leek and onions, stirring, until wilted. Transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin.
4. Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet, and wilt the chard and spinach; add to the bowl. Add the remaining greens and herbs to the bowl, and season to taste with a generous amount of salt and a little pepper. Reserve 8 tablespoons of olive oil; stir what remains into the greens mixture.
5. Lightly oil a 15-inch round pan or a shallow, rectangular roasting or sheet pan (16 inches by 12 inches). Roll out the first dough ball on a lightly floured surface, using the shape of your pan as the guide. For round pans, roll out to a circle about 18 inches in diameter; for rectangular pans, roll out to a rectangle about 3 inches larger than the perimeter of the pan. Place the dough inside, leaving about 2 inches hanging over the edge. Brush with two tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Brush that too with olive oil. Spread the filling evenly over the phyllo.
6. Repeat the rolling process for the third sheet, placing it over the filling and pressing down gently. Brush with olive oil. Finally, roll out the last piece of dough to a slightly smaller piece, and place it over the surface of the pie. Join and fold in the bottom and top overhanging dough, rolling it around the perimeter of the pan to form a pretty rim. Brush the top of the pie generously with olive oil. Score into serving pieces (do not cut through to the bottom).
7. Place in the center rack of the oven, and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the pie pulls away from the perimeter of the pan. Remove, cool in the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.