I first attempted to recreate this wonderful dish about a year ago. I was going through a divorce, an apartment move, and entry into what felt like "real adulthood" so making this dish, which my grandmother and mother would make for me as a special treat, served as a bandaid of love-something to really make my upset stomach and emotional heart recover.
At the time, I also wanted to quit my high-paying job in tech, and find a kitchen to unfold my "culinary genius". I luckily stumbled upon one of the most famous chefs in NY: A Turk not only known for his excellently executed dishes and entrepreneurial spirit, but also for his Nazi-esque reputation. I grabbed the opportunity to announce to him how highly I thought of my food and how he should let me intern for him (fake it till you make it applies here). He looked at me and said "I will give you a test. You will cook something for me and I will tell you… Even if it is bad, I will tell you. There are people that lie to themselves their whole lives about being good chefs." Great, I thought, this is just what I need.
Having just made the dish for myself and being quite satisfied with what I remembered it to taste like when I was a kid, it seemed like the perfect thing to remake for the chef. In Greece it is widely known as batsaria, batsara, or blatsara. The more mainstream name would be kolokithhopita, or zucchini pie, but without the phyllo that encloses the filling of most Greek pies. This pie belongs to my region of Préveza, Epirus. Its name is of Albanian origin, and means precisely a pie sans phyllo, but with semolina crust. It's a delight to the palate any time of the year, but especially in the summer, when zucchini is so sweet. It's great for breakfast with a cup of Greek coffee, or any time during the day. With a side of yoghurt, it makes a full meal.
What You Need for a medium-to-large baking pan:
6 zucchini
1-2 carrots depending on the size
1 slice of feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon sharp yellow cheese, such as kefalograviera or pecorino, grated
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch dill
2 eggs
½ cup olive oil
½ cup Arborio rice
1 teaspoon flour (may not be needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup semolina flour
What to do:
This is the hardest part and the BIG secret to this recipe. Grate the zucchini very well. Salt the grated zucchini, put it in cheesecloth, and squeeze it till you have zero doubt that every ounce of fluid has escaped, and that it is as dry as your mouth on a beach in the summer with no frappé in sight.
You will need both a small drainer to place the zucchini in, as well as bowl underneath to catch the fluid. You should drain every 5’ for about 30’.
Everything else is as easy as piece of pie!
Mince the green onions and the dill finely and place into a big bowl. Add the carrot, also grated. Add the eggs, beaten, the olive oil, the rice, the crumbled feta cheese, the yellow cheese, and pepper. When the zucchini has been drained, also add it to the mix. The consistency should not be too “wet.” If so, add the flour to absorb the excess liquid from the zucchini.
Butter your pan, and add a thick layer of semolina to cover its surface. Add your mix. Cover with another layer of semolina. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40’ minutes. The pie is done, when it has a golden-brown color.
Let sit for 10’ and enjoy!
PS: The chef liked and ate the pie. Hopefully you will make it and eat it too.
Xoxo,
Carol.