Ingredients for the dough:

• 1 kg flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 wine glass of olive oil
• 3/4 wine glass of raki
• Juice from a small lemon
• Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 glasses of water (adjust as needed)

Ingredients for the filling

2 kilos of yachnera greens (common poppy, black bryony, broadleaf plantain, milk thistle, dock, confused Hawk's-beard, goatsbeard, white mustard, fennel, kale, milkweeds, wild lettuce, borage, chicory, white hedge-nettle, wild parsley, wild celery, beet, bristly oxtongue, sow thistle, common mallow, wild leeks, nettles, shepherd's-needle, marjoram, lettuce, Mediterranean hartwort).

1 bunch of spring onions, finely diced

2 large onions, finely diced

1 glass of olive oil

Salt, pepper, and cumin

Procedure

Step 1: Prepare the Dough: Place half of the flour in a bowl, create a well in the centre, and add the ingredients for the dough. Mix well, gradually adding the remaining flour until a medium consistency dough forms, ensuring it doesn't stick to your hands. Cover the dough with a clean cloth and allow it to rest for approximately an hour.

Step 2: Prepare the Filling: Thoroughly wash the greens and place them in a colander to drain excess water. Proceed to finely chop them into small pieces.

Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the onions and chopped greens, and sauté them until softened. Then, season with salt, pepper, and cumin to taste.

After cooking, transfer the greens to a colander to drain completely, allowing any excess liquid to be removed. Let them cool before further use.

Step 3: Prepare the Phyllo Pastry: Take a portion of the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out a sheet of phyllo pastry to a somewhat thick consistency for the base. Grease a baking pan and place the phyllo sheet in the pan, ensuring it extends beyond the edges of the pan. Spread the yachnera filling evenly over the phyllo sheet. Roll out another sheet of phyllo pastry and cover the entire surface, joining it with the bottom sheet.

Step 4: Beat 1 egg with a dash of olive oil, then use a pastry brush to lightly coat the top phyllo sheet with the egg mixture. Sprinkle plenty of sesame seeds over the pie.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C for about an hour.

Lena Igoumenaki

President of the Cretan Cuisine Festival Association