Macedonian Prasopita (Πρασόπιτα Μακεδονίας)

Prasopita belongs to northern Greece, especially Macedonia, where winter leeks are cheap, sweet, and worth building a whole pita around. This is not spanakopita with leeks added. The leek is the filling, softened until it turns gentle and almost buttery, then folded with feta, eggs, and dill under crisp phyllo.

The method that decides the pie is the sweating of the leeks. They must cook slowly before they ever meet the pastry, until their sharpness is gone and their water has cooked away. If you rush them, the filling tastes raw and the bottom phyllo goes soft. Give them time and they become sweet enough to carry the whole tray.

Use good feta, not too creamy, and a phyllo with some body if you can find it. In my notebook this is a weekday pita, the sort that feeds a table twice: warm from the oven the first day, room temperature the next. A recipe written down is a recipe saved.