Greek Greens and Feta Tart (Hortopita)
A bright Greek tart of wilted greens, dill, spring onion and crumbled feta, set in a light egg custard.
Made with Shortcrust pastry and Homemade tzatziki. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.67 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roll out your ready made shortcrust pastry (see the base recipe) and line a 25 cm tart tin. Chill for 20 minutes, then blind bake with paper and beans for 15 minutes. Remove them and bake for 5 minutes more. Lower the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
20 min - 2
Heat the oil in a large pan and soften the leek and spring onions for 5 minutes. Add the spinach in handfuls and cook for 3 minutes until wilted. Tip into a colander and press out as much water as you can.
8 min - 3
Chop the greens roughly and mix with the dill, mint, nutmeg and half the feta.
- 4
Beat the eggs and stir in the greens. Spoon into the pastry case and scatter with the remaining feta.
- 5
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until set and golden. Rest for 10 minutes.
- 6
Serve warm or cool, with your ready made tzatziki (see the base recipe) on the side.
33 min 20 s
Tips
- Squeeze the cooked spinach very dry in a clean tea towel. Wet greens make the tart soggy.
- Use a mix of spinach, chard and spring greens for a more authentic hortopita.
- Feta is salty so taste the filling before adding any salt.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve cold or reheat at 160C (fan 140C) for 12 minutes until hot through. Not suitable for freezing.
Questions
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw 400 g frozen leaf spinach, then squeeze it very dry before mixing. It needs less cooking time.
Is this traditional?
Hortopita means greens pie and is a common Greek country dish, usually made with filo. A shortcrust case is an easy home alternative that holds the same filling.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes. Ricotta or goat's cheese works. Use 200 g, but taste for salt as feta is saltier.
More made with shortcrust pastry
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.