If you’re looking for a healthy meal to feed a crowd, look no further than this Salmon Hortopita. Similar to spanokopita, our version uses a popular Newfoundland vegetable, turnip greens, along with a mixture of herbs and feta cheese. We also choose to ditch the pie crust portion in favour of bread crumbs, to keep the dish lighter. The result is a savoury salmon meal that is both healthy and delicious.
The word hortopita simply means, Greens Pie, and can be a mixture of greens, or you can stick to a single variety. There are also many variations on the internet regarding the proportions of herbs, what kind of onion to use and whether or not to use garlic. We chose to stay as close to an authentic Greek pie as we could, and that’s why there is no garlic in our recipe. The garlic tends to overpower the delicate flavour of the herbs and onion, but if you really love garlic, by all means add some.
Also, an alternative to bread crumbs and to keep it more pie-like, you could wrap the whole fillet and filling in puff pastry, make some slits on the top of the pastry for steam to escape, and then brush with an egg wash before baking. It’s really good both ways, but for ease and to cut down on the carbs, we generally go for the bread crumbs.
Let us know if you give the recipe a try, we’re interested in your thoughts/comments. Drop us a line here, or on Facebook or Instagram. Have a great week!
Easy Salmon Hortopita (Turnip Greens, Herbs & Feta Salmon)
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg salmon fillet
- 1 pound turnip greens or spinach, cooked and squeezed dry, then chopped small
- 2 tbsp each dill and mint chopped
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup sweet onion chopped small (about 1/2 a large onion)
- 3/4 cup feta cheese crumbled (preferably the kind stored in brine)
- 2 cups sourdough bread crumbs
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated, if possible
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a tbsp of olive oil, then add the onions to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool, then add the greens, feta, egg, herbs, nutmeg and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, then place on the baking sheet. Spoon the greens mixture onto the salmon and pat around until you have an even layer. Next add the bread crumbs over top and pat down to adhere. Drizzle with the remaining oil, and then bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked and meat flakes easily, which will depend on the thickness of the fillet.
The recipe is credited to Nicole and Katherine – The former owner of SaltwaterDaughter.com.
