A little while ago, there appeared in a British newspaper a report on how many Cretan pensioners now have to forage wild greens (weeds) just in order to survive. While foraging may be on the rise across Greece because of the harsh financial contions in recent years, it is well known that Greeks, particularly Cretans, have traditionally foraged. The island of Crete is blessed in its variety of wild greens (and snails, another actively foraged food). Foraging is a way of life, analogous (perhaps) with berry picking among the hedgerows in Britain. It is an activity particularly practised by the older generation in Greece who have known periods of uncertainty in the past. They keep the knowledge alive of which wild greens are edible (and desirable) and the locations of particular micro-environments where some of them grow. This is very useful folk knowledge that am hoping is being passed on to the younger generation.
In the last year, I have blogged about Greens or Horta as they are collectively called. I’ve also learned that the term yiachnera, which I originally thought was a specific mixture of wild greens, is a generic term for all wild greens. One wild green which can be found easily, almost anywhere, is nettles. One of the greengrocers in my laiki (market) sells bunches of them this time of year – collected, as he will proudly tell you, from his own garden that is free from cats and dogs, thus declaring the purity of the weeds. However, I have a patch of young nettles (also free of cats and dogs) growing outside my own back door, in the unweeded area just beyond my herb garden, seen in the above picture.
In the space of two weeks, we made sautéed Cretan greens twice – once with greens that can be easily acquired in the market or garden (as listed in the recipe below), and the second time with proper wild greens – spiny chicory (σταμναγκάθι), wild sorrel (λάπαθα), sow thistle (ζοχούς), wild chard (σέσκουλα), nettles (τσουκνίδες) and a mixture labeled “wild mountain greens” or άγρια χόρτα (denoting their source, found high in the mountains), along with young leeks, spring onions and fennel. Both versions very, very nice.
Tsigarista (Τσιγαριστά) & Hortopita (Greens Pie)
This is a traditional Cretan recipe with multiple variations depending on the availabilty and selection of greens. The name tsigarista translates as “sautéed” describing the method of slow cooking in olive oil, the greens effectively steaming in their own juices. Sometimes chopped, skinned tomatoes can be added with the bulk of the greens, but I like it without. This is enough for a party of 10 – or for filling a large phyllo pie.
- 5 Spring onions
- 3 baby leeks
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5kg chard (σέσκουλα)
- 500g spinach
- 500g sorrel (λάπαθα)
- 250g nettles (τσουκνίδες)
- 1 large bunch fennel greens
- feta
All the greens are chopped finely, keeping the onions/leeks separate as well as the fennel. In a large pot or wok, sauté the spring onion and leeks in hot oil first for about 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the rest of the greens except the fennel. After about 10 minutes, stirring periodically, the greens will begin to darken. Add the fennel. Sauté and stir until all liquids produced have evaporated, about 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and let it cool a little before stirring in the crumbled feta. Can be served as a vegetable with wedges of lemon (as seen in the photo at the head of the recipe) or used as a filling for a pita (pie). For a phyllo pie, use the thicker type of phyllo for savoury pies, or several layers of the thinner commercial phyllo brushed with oil between layers (three on the bottom, two on top).
Put the finished tsigarista between the phyllo, tucking the ends over to seal. Score the top into individual pieces, brush with egg and optionally sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake at 170 degrees C (160 fan assisted) for about 30 minutes. Let it rest. Serve warm or at room temperature.
heaven….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had to adjust my brain for a moment as I read cretin rather than Cretan at first! I’m really interested in this style of cooking as it comes from such needy origins. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention! Bet it tasted pretty good 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve always loved the idea of foraging. Cretans have elevated it to an art. Luckily for me the market here has many of the wild greens, so my foraging means I don’t have to leave the city. They are a feature of winter veg here, soon to be replaced with artichokes, young broad beans and baby courgettes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous essay on foraged greens! Will follow your recipe when
I arrive in Patmos next month. Thank-you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
If you are lucky to be able to get spiny chicory (stamnagathi) you will need to pre-boil it to get rid of some of the bitterness. Otherwise, any wild green you can find would be good in the recipe. Not long now until Clean Monday and Lent. Greens will be a bog feature on our table until Orthodox Easter.
LikeLike
Thank-you, Debi. Will look for the stamnagathi among the gorse. The nigella seeds are intriguing. Is it found on
Evripidou Street in Athens?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I got the nigella seeds in a little store in Kolanaki – called Dolce Vita – that sells spices, seeds, grains, nuts and (of course) sweets. Although, they do sell nigella seeds in various places in the Athinas area – particularly the wonderful shop on Evripidou street where I recently managed to find black beans, after waiting in the queque that always seems to be there. Worth the wait.
LikeLike
Looking forward to discovering nigella seeds thanks to your
guidance!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is right up my alley. Love your mixture of greens. I’ll have to give it a try.
LikeLike
Hilda, I’m sure you will be able to forage wonderful greens. It’s the technique of cooking that is the key thing here. Enjoy!
LikeLike
Chicory and dandelion picking was an annual event when I was a boy and we used our old Easter baskets to hold the harvest. Today, Zia has been asking if I’ve gone out picking yet. I haven’t but I will. We always used them in a simple salad, though, and never cooked them. I should follow your lead and try cooking them. Same holds true for nettles, which I can purchase at the famers market when it opens. Mixing them with spinach and fennel fronds would make one flavorful dish, Debi. Thanks for the inspiration and the stroll down Memory Lane. 🙂
LikeLike
John, Just had some tsigarista (consisting mostly of nettles and spinach) in a lasagna – very nice! I expect it will be equally nice as a ravioli filing. Tripping down memory lane, I also remember piking dandelion (which is in the chicory family) for salads that my grandmother made with a hot sweet-sour bacon dressing. Wishing you happy foraging!
LikeLike
[…] of the laiki (outdoor market) here in Athens. In early March of this year I posted a recipe for Tsigarista, sautèed wild greens – something we couldn’t get enough of at the time, and then […]
LikeLike
[…] noticed that spiny chicory (σταμναγκάθι), that bitter green from Crete I used in my winter tsigarista (greens sautée), has begun to make its appearance in a number of […]
LikeLike
[…] fist thought was Cretan tsigarista, a mixture of sautéed wild greens, which I love. Yes, certainly some nettles from the garden will […]
LikeLike
[…] liaki is more to my liking. Winter greens are back in full force in the market which means more tsigarista […]
LikeLike