You may substitute the mizithra with ricotta cheese although Greek mizithra cheese has a more robust texture and a stronger flavour. If you use ricotta, perhaps add some grated or crumbled goats cheese into it for extra flavour.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 packet of rolled out pastry
- 500g courgettes, trimmed and grated
- 5 chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- 100g soft mizithra cheese
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp sesame nuts
- A few mint leaves, finely shredded
Method
Put the grated courgette in a fine mesh colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp of fine salt. Mix with a spoon and leave for 15 minutes for the salt to draw out the moisture of the courgettes. Empty the courgettes into a clean kitchen towel or muslin cloth and squeeze all the liquid out of the courgettes.
Bring a sauteing pan to a medium heat and add the olive oil and onion. Sweat the onion for 4-5 minutes until translucent and add the celery seeds, fennel seeds, garlic and chopped celery. Keep cooking for 2-3 more minutes and add the chopped mushrooms. Increase the heat and cook stirring continuously for a few more minutes and last add the grated courgettes. Continue stirring and cooking for 5 more minutes. The courgette mix should be cooked and dry. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes shaking the pan so they don’t burn.
Preheat the oven to 190 0C.
Place the pastry onto a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or baking paper. Make two gentle markings so that you have three sections to the pastry, the middle one slightly larger than the two sides. Using a knife, make 1cm wide cuts all along the two outer sections of the pie. You will use those to cover the filling in the middle section.
Spread the cooled courgette mix over the middle section leaving 1cm clear pastry either end. Break up the mizithra cheese and sprinkle on top, finished with the pine nuts and the chopped mint.
Bring all the pastry ribbons over the filling, alternating from the left side and from the right, ensuring that the two meet in the middle and slightly overlap. Do this till all the pastry is finished. Bring over the edges of the middle section that you left clear of filling.
Beat the egg yolk with 1 tbsp of cold water and brush the pastry. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake in the oven till brown and crispy, approx. 40 minutes.
Leave to cool a little and slice. Serve with a sliced tomato, red onion and mint salad.