Chef Dimitra
Agrafa Batzina (Μπατζίνα), Courgette and Feta Pie
Agrafa's batzina is the no-phyllo pie of Karditsa: grated courgette, feta, eggs, milk, and flour poured thin into a hot oiled tapsi.
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Marathopita Kritis (Μαραθόπιτα Κρήτης)
Created by
Crete's marathopita is a thin pan-fried pie filled with wild fennel, spring onion, and olive oil, made for Lent and for any day the fields are green.
Pastries & Cookies
Greek
Comfort Food
Budget Friendly
Quick Meal
45 min
Active Time
25 min cook•1 hr 10 min total
Yield8 small pies
Marathopita Kritis belongs to Crete: a thin, pan-fried pie filled with maratho, the wild fennel that perfumes the island after rain. It isn't a cheese pie with herbs tucked in for color. It is fennel first, chopped fine, held in a simple olive-oil dough, fried until the outside turns crisp and spotted gold.
The whole pie depends on the knife work. Chop the fennel finely enough that it becomes part of the filling rather than a bundle of stems. If the pieces are too long, they pull through the dough when you roll the pie flat, and the skillet finds every tear. Fine greens, rested dough, moderate heat. That's the trick.
This is nistisimo, fasting food, but nobody should hear that as deprivation. Crete knows how to make a meal from flour, field greens, and oil because the island had to know. Λίγα και καλά: a few things, and good ones. When a Cretan cook makes marathopita well, you taste the hillside more than the pantry.
I write it down plainly because this is exactly the sort of recipe that disappears when the woman who knew the dough by touch stops making it. Your grandmother cooked by eye because she'd made it a thousand times. Here are the numbers until you have.
Marathopita is a Cretan wild-greens pie, especially tied to western Crete, where foraged maratho grows after winter rains and into spring. It belongs to the island's nistisima repertoire: flour, greens, and olive oil made into a filling meal during Orthodox fasting periods without needing cheese or eggs. Unlike layered pites baked in a tapsi, marathopita is rolled thin and fried in the pan, a method suited to quick household cooking and to greens gathered the same day.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
all-purpose flour
Quantity
350g
plus extra for rolling
lukewarm water
Quantity
180ml
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
30ml
for the dough, plus 80ml for frying
raki or white wine vinegar
Quantity
15ml
fine sea salt
Quantity
6g
for the dough
wild fennel fronds (maratho, μάραθο)
Quantity
250g
tough stems removed, finely chopped
spring onions
Quantity
120g
finely sliced
leek
Quantity
80g
finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
30ml
for the filling
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
1g
fine sea salt
Quantity
2g
for the filling
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| all-purpose flourplus extra for rolling | 350g |
| lukewarm water | 180ml |
| extra virgin olive oilfor the dough, plus 80ml for frying | 30ml |
| raki or white wine vinegar | 15ml |
| fine sea saltfor the dough | 6g |
| wild fennel fronds (maratho, μάραθο)tough stems removed, finely chopped | 250g |
| spring onionsfinely sliced | 120g |
| leekfinely chopped | 80g |
| extra virgin olive oilfor the filling | 30ml |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1g |
| fine sea saltfor the filling | 2g |
Equipment Needed
- •heavy skillet, 28cm
- •rolling pin
- •wide saute pan for the greens
Instructions
- 1
Make the dough
Put the flour and 6g salt in a bowl. Add the water, 30ml olive oil, and raki or vinegar, then mix until a rough dough forms. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic but not hard. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 2
Prepare the greens
Wash the maratho well and dry it thoroughly. Chop it very fine, including only the tender stems. This is the step that decides the pie: coarse fennel tears the dough and makes lumps, while fine fennel folds into the dough and crisps evenly in the pan.
- 3
Soften the filling
Warm 30ml olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions and leek with 2g salt and cook for 5 minutes, until soft but not browned. Stir in the chopped maratho and black pepper, cook for 2 minutes just to relax the greens, then take off the heat and cool completely.
- 4
Divide and roll
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin circle, about 18cm wide, dusting lightly with flour. Keep the other pieces covered while you work so the dough stays supple.
- 5
Fill the pies
Spoon one eighth of the cooled filling over half of each circle, leaving a narrow rim. Fold the dough over, press the edge closed, then roll gently with the pin to flatten the pie thinly without forcing the filling through. It should be almost flat, not stuffed like a turnover.
- 6
Fry until crisp
Heat a thin film of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the pies one or two at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden patches appear and the edges crisp. Add a little more oil as needed, but don't drown them.
- 7
Rest and serve
Move the marathopites to a rack or paper-lined plate for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, when the fennel is fragrant and the dough still has its crisp bite.
Chef Tips
- •Use real fennel fronds if you can, wild maratho first, market fennel tops second. Fennel bulb alone won't give the same dish; it is sweet and watery where the fronds are green and sharp.
- •Let the filling cool before it touches the dough. Warm greens soften the dough too quickly, and then the rolling pin does damage.
- •Marathopita is best warm, but it travels well at room temperature. In Crete it can sit beside olives, tomatoes in season, or a glass of raki and still feel like a proper plate.
Advance Preparation
- •The dough can rest, covered, for up to 2 hours at room temperature.
- •The filling can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and chilled; bring it close to room temperature before filling.
- •Fry the pies just before serving when you want the crispest edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 105g)
Calories
275 calories
Total Fat
11 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
420 mg
Total Carbohydrates
39 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
6 g
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