Helena and Vikki Moursellas' Village-Style Fennel and Rainbow Chard Pita Pie
Creamy feta and soft greens are accompanied by crispy pastry.
Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, Sydney-based cookbook authors and twin sisters Helena and Vikki Moursellas share their recipe for a fennel and rainbow chard pita pie.
The humble pie is adored for many reasons. The filling possibilities are endless and the flaky pastry exterior makes for a delightfully indulgent treat. Helena and Vikki Moursellas' village-style fennel and rainbow chard pita pie is a savoury Greek pie that's wrapped in a crispy pastry and one recipe we think you'll want to add to your rotation.
The filling in this pie is a mixture of fennel and different types of greens—rainbow chard, mint leaves, and dill—that work together with the creaminess of the feta and halloumi, and are accompanied by olive oil pastry.
This comforting dish is perfect for cosy winter nights in, dinner parties, or to dish out at your next at-home brunch.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
- 1 small brown onion, thinly sliced
- 1 (300g) fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 cups rainbow chard or silverbeet, washed and roughly chopped
- 200g Greek feta, crumbled
- 120g halloumi, grated
- 70g Kefalograviera cheese, grated
- 1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
- 1 cup dill leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
For the olive oil pastry
- 1 ½ cups (200g) plain flour
- 1/2 cup (60g) wholemeal rye flour
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven 180°C/160°C fan.
Grease a round 27cm (6 cup capacity) baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt.
Make a well in the middle, add vinegar, olive oil and ½ cup (125ml) warm water.
Using your hands knead the mixture into a smooth dough for around 5 minutes.
Cover with cling wrap and rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Remove pastry from the fridge, and cut into two equal pieces. Lightly dust the bench with flour and roll both pastry pieces into two 35cm circles around 3mm thick.
Carefully place the pastry over the baking dish and gently press into the dish.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat.
Cook onion, fennel, and garlic for 10-12 minutes or until softened and caramelised.
Add chard and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Set aside to cool slightly.
To the mixture add cheeses, herbs and egg and stir to combine.
Spoon filling into the dish, cover with remaining pastry and pleat the edges to seal, brush with remaining oil and sprinkle with fennel seeds.
Bake pita for 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Serve warm with extra herbs.
For more from Helena and Vikki, follow them on Instagram at @helenaandvikki
Photography by Alisha Gore. Styling by Audrey Won.
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