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Kolokithopita (Greek pumpkin pie)

Greece's spectacular coiled-pastry creation.

By Dominic Smith
  • 35 mins preparation
  • 40 mins cooking (plus cooling)
  • Serves 6
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This spectacular Greek pie can be made with zucchini, squash or pumpkin. In this recipe we've opted for the latter, where a mixture of spiced cabbage and pumpkin is rolled between delicate layers of filo then coiled in the dish. And in even better news, it's far simpler to make than it looks.

Ingredients

  • 125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large leek, white part only, thinly sliced (about 500gm)
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tsp baharat (see note)
  • 400 gm peeled butternut pumpkin, coarsely grated
  • 375 gm Savoy cabbage, shredded
  • 55 gm (⅓ cup) currants
  • 2 tbsp each finely chopped mint, oregano and flat-leaf parsley
  • 150 gm (1 cup) cooked long-grain white rice
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 14 sheets filo pastry
  • Poppy and sesame seeds, for scattering
  • Tzatziki, to serve

Method

  • 1
    Heat 60ml oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook leek, garlic and baharat until leek starts to soften (5 minutes). Add pumpkin and cook for 3 minutes, then add cabbage and cook for a further 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in currants, herbs, rice and zest, then set aside to cool.
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease a 25cm springform tin. Divide filling into seven portions. Brush one sheet of pastry with a little of the remaining oil and top with a second sheet. Place one portion of filling lengthways, in a thin line, along pastry edge and roll pastry to enclose filling. Starting at the centre of the tin, carefully form the pastry roll, seam-side down, into a coil. Repeat with remaining pastry sheets, a little more oil and the filling portions, joining each roll to the end of the last one and coiling it around until the base of the tin is covered. Brush top with remaining oil.
  • 3
    Bake pie for 35 minutes then scatter with poppy and sesame seeds and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Serve with tzatziki on the side.

Notes

After unwrapping filo pastry in step 2, cover any sheets you aren't using immediately with baking paper, then a damp tea towel to prevent drying out. Baharat is available from Middle Eastern grocers and herbies.com.au