Spinach and Feta Pie

This pie is known as spanakopita in Greece. It is made with filo pastry, which is wafer thin, as it is stretched out over huge tables while it is being prepared. Spinach contains a range of nutrients, including iron, which is excellent for your muscles.

Ingredients

1 x 5ml spoon olive oil, plus
extra for greasing
100ml boiling water
1 medium onion
100g mushrooms
600–700g fresh leaf spinach (350–380g when cooked)
100g feta cheese
Small bunch fresh parsley
10g Parmesan cheese (optional)
¼ x 5ml spoon ground nutmeg
Black pepper (optional)
2 eggs
3 sheets filo pastry from a 270g pack
1 x 15ml spoon olive oil (for brushing on pastry)

Equipment

Weighing scales
20cm cake tin (deep)
Pastry brush
Baking parchment
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Measuring spoons
Frying pan
Colander or sieve
Microwave-safe steamer
Large saucepan (optional)
Large mixing bowl
Kitchen paper
Grater
Scissors
Wooden spoon
Clean tea towel
2 x Baking trays
Oven gloves
Pan stand

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan or gas mark 4. Lightly oil the cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion and wipe clean and finely slice the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and gently soften the onion for 5 minutes, adding the mushrooms after a couple of minutes. Leave to cool.
3. Rinse the spinach in a colander and shake off the excess liquid. Steam the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe steamer for 1 minute on full power (timing based on an 800W microwave). Alternatively, boil 100ml water in the bottom of a
   large saucepan, add the spinach, put on the lid and cook on a medium/high heat for 5 minutes, then drain and plunge into a pan of cold water.
4. Drain the spinach in a colander, then take a handful at a time and squeeze it as hard as you possibly can. Lots of water will come out. To drain it even more, put it back into the pan on the heat and stir until it starts to stick to the pan. Remove from the heat, chop the spinach up into rough 2–3cm chunks and put into a large mixing bowl. Cover with kitchen paper to absorb any excess water.
5. Crumble the feta cheese with your hands and grate the Parmesan (if using). Add them to the spinach.
6. Remove the leaves from the parsley, finely chop with scissors and add to the feta mix. Measure the nutmeg into the mixing bowl and add some black pepper to taste (if using).
7. Mix in the eggs and give it a good stir.
8. When the onions have cooled down a bit, add to the mixing bowl.
9. Carefully lay out the sheets of filo pastry on a clean, dry work surface. You need to work quickly as they dry out very fast, or lay a damp, clean tea towel over the sheets to keep them moist as you prepare them.
10. Brush a little olive oil over the middle of the sheet, roughly the size of the base of the cake tin. Lay the first sheet in the tin, oil-side up, easing it in but leaving the long edges hanging over the sides.
11. Do the same for the next sheet, but lay it in the opposite direction to the first one. Repeat with the last sheet and lay it at an angle to the previous two, then press in the spinach filling.
12. Starting with the last sheet you put in, fold the edges over the filling and brush gently with a bit more olive oil. Repeat with the next sheet, then neatly fold over the last sheet to fully enclose the pie. Brush the top with the rest of the oil.
13. Chill in the fridge until ready to cook, or put in the oven for 40 minutes until golden and crispy.
14. Turn out onto a clean baking tray and return to the oven for 10 minutes to cook the pastry through on the bottom.
15. When slightly cooled, cut into 6 wedges to serve.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, mixing, grating, baking and steaming.

Top Tips

• If you use frozen spinach make sure you buy the “leaf” spinach, as you need the texture from the leaf.
• This recipe only uses part of a pack of filo pastry, so put the rest in a sealed freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to one month.
• Squeeze the spinach well, if you don’t want the pie to be soggy!

Something to try next time

• To make individual Spinach and Feta Parcels see the Lamb and Vegetable Samosa recipe on our website for instructions on how to fold pastry into triangles. Fill each parcel with a spoonful of filling before folding and baking.

Prepare now, eat later

• This pie can be frozen once it has been cooked and completely cooled. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in a hot oven at 180°C/160°C fan or gas mark 4 for about 15–20 minutes or until very hot.
• It is perfect for picnics!