Written for and published in Edible Monterey.

2 pounds or 1 well-stuffed gallon container of miner’s lettuce (leaves and stems), chickweed (leaves and stems) and nettle (leaves only); in lieu of these, 30 ounces of frozen spinach can be used.
6–9 large spring onions, both green and white parts, cleaned and with bulbs attached if plant is young enough. Substitute the white parts of 2 medium leeks if no spring onions are available locally.
A few dashes salt
¼ cup butter, ghee or olive oil
7 eggs
12 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 ounces shredded Parmesan
4 ounces shredded Romano
1 cup assorted herbs, like rosemary, marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, wild chervil. In lieu of a diverse selection of herbs, parsley can be used.
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 sheets phyllo dough, purchased
Grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup melted butter, ghee or olive oil

Take phyllo dough out of the freezer, remove dough from box and set aside to thaw.

In batches, sauté miner’s lettuce, chickweed and nettles in a large dry pan, stirring constantly. When greens are fully wilted yet still verdant (approx 3–4 minutes of cooking), remove pan from heat. Place sieve into a bowl and place clump of greens into sieve. When they are cool enough to handle, press the greens mixture in a sieve to remove excess liquid, then roll it in a clean paper or cloth towel to dry further. Set mixture aside. Liquid can be drunk, saved for adding to soup or discarded.

Finely chop the onions. Dry cook them over medium heat with a few dashes of salt for about 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. During this time, onions will weep and liquid will cook off. When the pan is dry, add ¼ cup oil and sauté for 2–5 or so minutes till lightly browned. The flavor deepens as the onions cook, so taste as you go and stop when they are to your liking. If using leeks, sauté for up to 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

Mince herbs and stir into bowl with onions. Stir eggs, cheeses, pepper, lemon zest and mix until well combined. Chop the wilted greens and mix them thoroughly with the egg mixture. Set bowl aside. Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt the butter in a little saucepan on the stove and set aside.

Carefully unroll phyllo dough onto a dry surface. Count out 15 sheets. Roll up the rest and put them back in the box. Return box to the freezer. Thoroughly butter sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (or 9-by-13-inch glass pan) using a pastry brush. Brush a light layer of butter onto the top of the first sheet of phyllo. Carefully lift the sheet and drape it into the pan, making sure to tuck it into the bottom edge and drape it over the top lip. The sheet may rip a bit; this is okay. Do the same with the second sheet of dough, draping it slightly unevenly with the first so that the corners do not overlap perfectly. As you continue to layer more sheets, position each so it overhangs the lip by 2 inches or so on one side, changing the angle a bit as you place each consecutive sheet. By the time all 15 sheets are placed, everywhere along the lip should be covered by at least a few sheets.

Press the wild greens filling into the bottom of the pan and smooth out the surface. Gently fold the phyllo back onto the pie until it is all draped over the filling. Ruffle it up a bit for a disheveled look, or lay it down nice and orderly. Place the pan onto a baking sheet to catch melting butter, and bake for 60 minutes until the top is nicely golden. Makes 1 9-inch pie. Enjoy warm!

Wild Greens Spanakopita