){kind=small}
In Greece, olives are usually eaten as part of a meze platter, added in salads and used in cooking in slowly cooked stews. So when we came across a recipe for little olive pies from the island of Cyprus (by the Greek-Cypriot chef Christoforos Peskias), we couldn’t but give these a try. Inspired by this Cypriot classic, we’ve adapted the recipe using a selection of our olives.
Organic, hand-picked and unpasteurised, our olives are naturally cured in fresh water for 6 to 9 months. They have high levels of monounsaturated fats and are a good source of protein, not to mention absolutely delicious! In this recipe we used a combination of our Kalamata, Amfissa green and Kalamata orange olives. But feel free to select your favourites!
Makes 15 small pies
1 portion of pie dough with orange
200g olives (we used a combination of our Kalamata olives, Amfissa Green olives and Kalamata olives with orange and herbs)
1 large red onion
zest from 1 orange
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small bunch of mint
1 tbsp sesame (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180C
Finely slice the onion. In a medium skillet and over medium heat gently fry the onion in the olive oil, until tender and caramelised, around 20minutes. Let it cool down.
In the meantime, prepare the rest of your filling. Remove the olive pits, gently pressing down the olives, or using a small pairing knife. Roughly chop the olive flesh and add to a bowl. Add the orange zest. Finely chop the mint and add it to your bowl.
Add the onions and stir well.
Roll out your dough in a rectangular 20x30cm, and around 2-3mm thick. Spread the filling on top, leaving some space on the sides. Roll up the long side, creating a log. Slice vertically creating thick pieces, around 10cm each. Turn them on their side (like you would do with cinnamon rolls).
Lay them on a baking tray covered in greaseproof paper. Sprinkle sesame on top (if using). Bake at 180C until the little pies are golden, around 30min.
