VEGAN GREEK OLIVE AND CHARD PIE WITH ZHOUG MAYO
Cook: 30 minutes
Q & a WITH Elleni Katalanos
How did How did you learn to cook?
As early as I can remember the kitchen has always been my happy place. Growing up I learnt from the strong woman of my family how to cook and that love for food developed into a career! Training at Westminster college and working under some of the best Michelin star chefs in the industry I learnt to cook a variety of cuisines that have all influenced my style of modern Mediterranean cooking.
What's your favourite dish to cook?
My favourite dish to cook really depends on the season, being a seasonal chef I probably have one for each! During the summer I find it hard to not be barbecuing ever day from slowly, chard, spicy aubergines to sweet peaches drizzled in honey, cooking on a grill is a magical place. Or the beauty of autumn, warming bowls of orzo stew mopped up with torn sesame bread. Spring calls for fresh salads, that we have all been craving over the long winter months, drizzled in new season olive oil. Its hard for me to pick one dish as my favourite because food is so much more than sustenance its my love language.
What is your favourite type of food?
Coming from a Mediterranean background I completely submerge myself in living the olive oil life. I would say that my favourite cuisine is definitely Greek but I am biased!
What would be your last meal on earth?
If I had to pick one last meal on earth it would probably be slow cooked lamb kleftiko. Kleftiko is a labour of love, a marriage of lamb, wine, cinnamon and vegetables, slowly cooked in the oven for hours, until it falls off the bone and wine and juices have created the most beautiful sauce. Served with cooling greek yogurt, fresh bread and carafes of red wine. I would share my last meal with my nearest and dearest, eating on white crochet table clothes under candlelight, intimately hidden by the branches of an olive tree.
What is the first Belazu product you ever tried?
My first Belazu product I tried was the black tapenade paste.
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1 pack of phyllo pastry
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1 jar of Belazu black olive tapenade
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1 lemon
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1 bunch of chard
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1/2 a bunch of parsley
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2 tbsp of sesame seeds
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1 tbsp of black sesame seeds
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2 tbsp of dried oregano
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2 tbsp of zhoug paste
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100ml of soy milk
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200ml of Belazu crete gold olive oil
- Step 0: Prep and cook chard- fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with hot water bring to the boil. Whilst the water is coming to a boil, separate the leafy green part of the card from the stalks. Roughly chop the stalks into a small dice, season the boiling water, then add the stalks and green leaves. Once the diced stalk and leaves are soft drain from the boiling water and leave to cool.
- Step 1: Make zhoug mayo- to a small jug add 200ml of soy milk, 200ml go crete gold olive oil and 2 tbsp of zhoug paste then using a stick blender, blend until the contents has emulsified and thickened. Balance the seasoning with a pinch of salt and the squeeze of a lemon.
- Step 2: Make filling- separate the leaves, using a clean towel squeeze out the excess liquid from the leaves and finely chop then add to a mixing bowl with a chard stalks. Wash 1/2 a bunch of parsley and finely chop (including the stalks) and add to the mixing bowl along with 1 jar of black olive tapenade. Give it a good mix and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Step 3: Make pies- pre heat oven to 170oC. Divide 1 pack of phyllo pastry into 2 (that is usually about 10 sheets each). In-between each layer of phyllo brush with the Crete gold olive oil. Once your 10 layers are brushed with olive oil spoon half your olive and chard mixture into a mound then gently wrap your parcels, leaving them scrunched at the top. Repeat the same process to your other parcel and then place on a lined baking tray with parchment paper and place in your preheated oven for 30 minutes, until evenly brown.
- Step 4: Toast sesame seeds- add 2 tbsp of white sesame seeds and 1 tbsp of black sesame seeds to a small baking dish and lightly toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Once lightly toasted remove from the oven and cool, when cold mix through 2 tbsp of dried oregano. Set to one side
- Step 5: Plate up!- once your olive and chard pie is evenly golden, remove from the oven and leave to cool for half an hour. Once ambient drizzle with a little more of the buttery crete gold olive oil and then sprinkle over your sesame seeds and oregano, along with an extra scattering of flakey sea salt. Then carefully lift onto a plate followed with a generous spoon of your silky vegan zhoug mayo.
