Recipes Greek Hand Pies with Greens, Dill, Mint and Feta 5.0 (3,773) Add your rating & review Jacques Pépin ordered a saiti, a turnover filled with tangy wild greens and feta, at Marianthi tavern in the Greek village of Monemvasía. This recipe is a close approximation. The olive oil in the dough (adapted from a recipe by Diane Kochilas) makes the crust extraordinarily flaky. By Jacques Pépin Jacques Pépin Instagram Born in 1935 in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, near Lyon, Pépin always found the kitchen to be a place of both comfort and excitement. He helped in his parents' restaurant, Le Pélican, and, at age 13, began an apprenticeship at the Grand Hôtel de L'Europe. He subsequently worked in Paris, ultimately serving as personal chef to three French heads of state, including Charles de Gaulle. After moving to the United States in 1959, Pépin first worked at Le Pavillon, an historic French restaurant in New York City. Author of over 30 books, he published his first cookbook, The Other Half of the Egg with Helen McCully in 1967, the same year that his only daughter, Claudine was born. Pépin released his seminal text La Technique in 1976, and his memoir The Apprentice in 2003.Pépin is a former columnist for The New York Times and his articles have appeared in countless food magazines, especially Food & Wine magazine. He is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from five American universities, was awarded France's highest civilian honor, La Légion d'Honneur, in 2004, as well as the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in 1997 and the Mérite Agricole in 1992. He has received 16 James Beard Foundation Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. He has been Executive Culinary Director of Oceania Cruises since 2003.For the past 30 years, Pépin has taught in the Culinary Arts Program at Boston University and, was dean of special programs at the International Culinary Center in New York City for over 30 years. In 2016 he honored his commitment to culinary education by starting a foundation in his name along with his daughter and son-in-law. The Jacques Pépin Foundation supports free culinary and life skills training, through community based organizations, that helps individuals detached from the workforce gain confidence, skills, and employment in food service. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 16, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Lucy Schaeffer Active Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 2 hrs Yield: 4 individual hand pies Ingredients 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Salt 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 6 medium scallions, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 1/2 pounds greens, such as Swiss chard, spinach and dandelion greens, stemmed and coarsely chopped 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill 1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint 1/4 cup coarsely chopped oregano 1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 ounces) 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1 large egg, lightly beaten Freshly ground pepper Vegetable oil, for frying Directions In a large bowl, mix the flour with 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the vinegar. Mix until the dough comes together; it will be sticky. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth and no longer tacky, using a pastry scraper to free it from the work surface. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the scallions and cook over moderate heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add the greens and cook over high heat, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes. Stir in the dill, mint and oregano and cook until wilted, 1 minute. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a colander and let cool. When the greens are cool enough to handle, squeeze out any excess liquid. In a large bowl, combine the greens with the feta, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the egg. Season the filling with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Lightly flour a large, rimmed baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece out to a 9-inch round 1/16 inch thick. Using an 8-inch plate as a template, cut an 8-inch disk from each round. Mound one-fourth of the filling on the lower half of each disk. Fold the dough over to make a half-moon; press the edge of the dough to seal. Using a lightly floured fork, crimp the edges. Transfer the hand pies to the prepared baking sheet. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of the vegetable oil over moderately high heat until shimmering. Add 2 pies at a time and fry, turning once, until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Drain the pies on paper towels. Serve hot. Make Ahead The dough and filling can each be refrigerated, separately, overnight. Bring the filling to room temperature before assembling. Suggested Pairing These flaky, herb-filled pies pair well with many Greek white wines, which tend to be light and fragrant, at least when made from local Greek grape varieties. Rate it Print