Today we have a special treat for you. We welcome Aglaia Kremezi, award winning cookbook author and educator on Mediterranean diet and cuisine. Aglaia teaches cooking classes in Kea, Greece. Here she shares her recipe for Crustless Zucchini Pie from her book “Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts.” This delicious recipe is here just in time for zucchini season!
More about this delicious and filling Mediterranean recipe from Aglaia Kremezi:
A French guest once called it “flan,” but this rustic Balkan dish is too hearty for such a dainty description. This pie has no cream and uses only two eggs and oats as a binding agent for the raw grated zucchini, which is scented with fresh mint and dill. If you don’t have zucchini, squash is a wonderful substitute. Once I found myself without stale bread and substituted rolled oats, ground in a blender; I have also added sunflower seeds and pecorino to top the pie, giving it a nice crunchy crust. Alternatively you can omit the nuts and top the pie with thin tomato slices.
I usually serve it as main course, with a generous tomato salad. But it can also be an appetizer, and is our guests’ favorite picnic food, as we often bring it with us to the beach, precut into bite-size pieces.
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“Naked” or Crustless Zucchini Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pounds zucchini (or squash) coarsely grated in a box grater or on a mandoline fitted with the julienne attachment
- salt
- 1 onion, finely chopped or grated
- 1 1/4 cups ground rolled oats (quick-cooking)
- 3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tsp Maraş pepper or freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp. dill, chopped
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 cup sunflower seeds (or pepitas)
- 3-4 tbsp. grated pecorino or kefalotyri cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt and let wilt in a colander for about 10 minutes.
- Press handfuls of the zucchini over the sink to extract most of the juices and transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion, oats, feta, pepper, dill, and mint. Combine and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well with your hands or with a large spatula. Add the olive oil and stir well.
- Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a few sunflower seeds, and carefully pour over the zucchini mixture. Spread and level the surface with a spatula, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the rest of the sunflower seeds and the grated cheese.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is set and deep golden on top.
- Let cool on a rack at least 20 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.
Can mother cheese be used, for those ho re lactose intolerant.
?
I honestly wouldn’t know, but it’s worth a try! I have made zucchini pies without cheese before and it comes out delicious.