Meatless Pies

In my father’s house, when he was a child, every time an unexpected guest arrived, his mother “layed” a pie, as the Greek expression goes, using two or more pieces of phyllo that she prepared effortlessly. She stuffed it with anything she had in the house: cheese with eggs was the most common version, but wild greens, spinach, zucchini, eggplant, or any other vegetables—even pickled cabbage or salt cod or rice—was used to fill a pie. Leftovers, especially meat or poultry, are frequently used for pie fillings. The most famous Greek pies are coiled with homemade phyllo and filled with wild greens. These are made in Metsovo where the local women roll the pies with spectacular skill.