Spanakopita pie

Savour the delightful flavours of this Spanakopita pie from Kristy Dickinson. This Greek dish is packed with a vibrant combination of baby spinach, dill and three types of cheese encased in layers of flaky, buttery filo pastry. Use good quality ricotta from the deli for best results.

Spanakopita pie Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 800 g baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped dill or parsley, optional
• 300 g creamy Greek feta cheese, crumbled
• 150 g full-fat ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and black pepper
• 150 g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 12 sheets fresh filo pastry
• sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion, spring onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until softened. Add half the baby spinach leaves and stir until slightly wilted, then add the remaining spinach and the dill (or parsley). Cook, stirring, over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted.
2. Drain in a colander and cool, pressing down repeatedly with paper towel to remove the excess moisture, then place in a large bowl and combine with the cheeses, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 2½ litre baking dish with butter. Lay one sheet of filo on base and sides and brush with butter. Repeat with 5 more sheets. Spread the filling over the top. Cover with the remaining filo, brushing each sheet with butter. Trim the excess pastry with kitchen scissors and tuck edges into sides of dish. Brush the top with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
4. Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until golden. Stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Note

• Full-fat ricotta cheese found from the deli section is best for this recipe.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Family Pie

Watch the full episode here

PG

Watch the full episode here

PG