- 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
- 4 spring onions or one shallot, chopped
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled & chopped
- 500g spinach, rinsed, chopped & well-drained (eg in a salad spinner)
- 125g feta cheese
- 125g ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 heaped tsp dried dill
- ½ pkt filo pastry – 6 sheets
- 60g melted butter
- 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
- Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the garlic, onion & spinach gently until the spinach is wilted. Leave mixture to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mash the cheeses, then beat in the eggs, dill, nutmeg and the spinach mixture. Season to taste with salt & pepper (not too much as feta is salty)
- Brush the inside of a large baking dish or cake tin with melted butter. Place a sheet of filo in the baking dish or tin leaving quite a large over-hang.
- Brush the filo with more butter and add another sheet allowing it to overhang at a different angle. Continue brushing with butter and building up layers of filo pastry until you have 6 layers.
- Fill the pie with the spinach mixture and fold the excess over the top in a draped, crumpled manner. Brush the top with the last of the melted butter & sprinkle with pine nuts if using.
- Bake in moderate oven (Gas 4 or 180°C) for 60 minutes or until set and golden. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges
Variations:.
- you can use frozen spinach but squeeze well when cooked to remove excess liquid.
- make little triangular turnover size pies - good for picnics. Cut approx. 12cm (5”) squares. Add 1 tbsp filling, fold and stick with beaten egg or milk and bake for less time (about 25 minutes)
- replace the filo with puff pastry and add spinach filling to make little “sausage” rolls – ideal for parties. Bake about 20 mins
Recipe provided byMary