My Version of Spanakopita (Spinach and Feta Cheese Pie)

While doing my fortnightly fruit and veggie shopping from my fav green grocer, I chance upon a big bunch of spinach for just .99c and immediately Spanakopita came to mind.  Spanakopita is a traditional Greek spinach or silver beet pie with cheese and herbs, enveloped by crispy, flaky filo pastry.  This was our lunch today and I thought of sharing this easy to make meal with you guys.

And before my Greek inlaws would bash my unauthentic way of cooking this Greek staple food, let me say that I sort of experimented and prepared it like I would a lasagna - filo pastry - spinach mixture - filo pastry method.

Ingredients:

1.5 kg baby spinach (or silverbeet)

2 tbs chopped dill

250g feta cheese, crumbled

150g ricotta cheese ( I used low fat just for health reason)

3 tbs Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 box of filo pastry 

120g butter, melted

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bunch shallots (spring onions), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil

How to:

1. Heat oil in a fry pan, then add onion,and garlic and let it caramelised for abit.  Then add chopped spinach and half the dill. (I used the stalk as well so I cooked the stalk first before putting in the leaves part). Cook, stirring, over low heat for a couple of minutes or until spinach has wilted. Drain in a colander and let it cool.  Then combine the cooked spinach with the ricotta and the crumbled feta and parmessan cheeses, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper.


2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 2 1/2-litre baking dish with butter. Lay one sheet of filo on base and sides and brush with butter. Repeat with 5 more sheets. Spread cheese mixture over top. Cover with remaining filo, brushing each sheet with butter. Trim excess pastry with kitchen scissors and tuck edges into sides of dish. Brush top with butter and score in diamond patterns. (this is the traditional way but as I said I did mine quite different today - just like a lasagna style)


3. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Rest for 10 minutes. Warm remaining butter, add remaining dill and, when serving, pour over sliced spanakopita.

Enjoy!