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And just like that, somehow we’ve found ourselves nearly halfway through autumn, somehow making it through the High Holiday season. October went by in a blur of apples, honey, yellow ribbon pins for Oct. 7 and a haze of Sukkot planning.
Now I’m looking ahead toward Thanksgiving on Nov. 28 and Hanukkah — starting on Dec. 25 this year — as I plan my menus and celebrations to close out 2024.
As a food writer, I am often the de facto host for 90% of holidays, so each year, this means I’m juggling oven space, different dietary needs, time crunches and finding spare minutes to clean the kitchen.
This year, I’m feeling inspired by California produce. And a taste of our summer adventure.
While I was meant to spend August soaking up the sun and eating my weight in hummus in Tel Aviv, our plans were disrupted at the last minute and we found ourselves in Greece and Albania for a month.
After countless taverna meals and seaside eats, I’ve fallen in love with the versatility of phyllo dough, and how it can make even the most basic of ingredients feel special and elevated. We dined on spinach pies, phyllo-crusted cheeses and syrupy baklava.
One of the first things I did upon returning was go out and buy boxes of phyllo dough for my freezer. Phyllo (or filo) dough is a paper-thin, unleavened dough, common in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine.
There are a few tricks to working with phyllo.
Brush a layer of oil or melted butter between each sheet, and keep any unused phyllo covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.
Handle the sheets with care, as they are very fragile. However, if one rips, it won’t make a huge difference in this rustic pie.
Don’t freeze baked phyllo. It is better to freeze uncooked, and skip the defrosting before baking them from the freezer.
On average, a box of phyllo dough contains 24 sheets, so after making this recipe, you’ll have leftover sheets. To store them, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap, place them in a zip-top bag and leave in the fridge for up to one week — or wrap a sheet around a cored-apple, adding cinnamon and sugar, and bake!
While this pie looks impressive, it is deceptively simple to make. The beauty of phyllo is that it is meant to look rustic — imperfections are part of the charm — while still feeling special enough to serve on a holiday.
Red onions, honeynut squash (a hybrid bred from butternut squash and buttercup squash), dried cranberries and nutmeg lend a festive, autumnal sweetness. Bitter kale and briny feta help make this into a delicious vegetarian main dish that can be served for brunch or dinner.
Honeynut squash is the star in this recipe, but it can be substituted with butternut squash or even sweet potatoes. Honeynut squash is a small, sweeter squash, with a higher sugar content than its “parents” and a bright orange color.
This dish is best served at room temperature, so you can make it well before your guests arrive and free up that oh-so-important oven space!
Skillet Phyllo Pie with Honeynut Squash and Kale
Serves 6
Total time: 1 hour plus resting
- 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 honeynut squash, peeled and diced, about 3 cups
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- ½ tsp. Aleppo chili pepper
- ½ tsp. lemon zest
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- 2 cups chopped kale
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 8 sheets phyllo dough
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 Tbs. of olive oil in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is shimmering, add the red onion, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add the squash, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the squash becomes tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, thyme, Aleppo chili, lemon zest and nutmeg. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the kale, and stir to combine. The kale will wilt.
Transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes, and wipe out the pan to use again. Once the vegetables are cooled, add the dried cranberries, eggs and feta.
Layer the phyllo dough sheets in the cleaned skillet, brushing the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil with a pastry brush between each sheet. There will be overhang.
Add the vegetable mixture to the phyllo-lined skillet, and fold the edges over of the filling, leaving the center exposed. Gently brush the phyllo with oil.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden and the filling is set. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Note: This pie is best enjoyed the day you prepare it. You can make it up to 6 hours in advance and store it at room temperature.