Why it works: Olive and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,443 recipes. Both carry 2-hexenal, which smells green, leafy. The science ↓
Greek Onion and Squash Pie
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C or gas mark 5).
Lightly coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray.
Place over medium heat and add the onion and two squashes.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and all liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Place the vegetables in a bowl to cool slightly.
Add the egg substitute, feta cheese, flour, and oregano, then stir to combine and set aside.
Assemble the pie
Place a sheet of phyllo dough on a 9-inch (22.5 cm) pie plate, allowing any excess dough to loosely drape over the sides, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Repeat, using three more phyllo sheets, spraying after each addition.
Pour the prepared vegetable-egg mixture into the pie shell and smooth out the surface.
Top the pie with the remaining four sheets of phyllo, spraying each layer with cooking spray before adding another sheet.
Cut the phyllo 1 inch (2.5 cm) beyond the rim of the pie pan.
Fold this dough over towards the center to make an edge just inside the rim.
Bake and cool
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until nicely browned and puffed.
Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Feta Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Egg Substitute | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Pumpkin | not in our table | 0 |
| Phyllo Dough | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Olive + oreganotop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,443 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Olive + feta cheesetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,482 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
-
Olive + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,779 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Feta cheese + oreganotop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together359 recipes
Shared aroma: myrcene (balsamic, herbaceous).
-
Feta cheese + phyllo doughtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together27 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Zucchini
- Forms the bulk of the filling; cooking off its liquid keeps the pie from turning soggy.
- Liquid egg substitute
- Binds the vegetables and sets into a sliceable, custard-like filling when baked.
- Feta cheese
- Adds salty, tangy flavor and a crumbly richness to the filling.
- All-purpose flour
- Absorbs residual moisture and helps the filling hold together when baked.
- Oregano
- Provides the dominant herbal aroma that defines the flavor of the pie.
- Phyllo dough
- Bakes into crisp, golden, flaky layers that encase the filling.
The step that matters
Cook the squash until all liquid has evaporated. Water left in the vegetables would thin the egg mixture and steam the phyllo from below, leaving a soggy base instead of a firm, browned pie.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, egg, feta cheese, flour, oregano, phyllo dough):
- Spinachfits better
- Welsh onionfits better
- Tomatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, egg, feta cheese, flour, oregano, phyllo dough. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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