Cheese and spinach filo pie

Name: Cheese and spinach filo pie
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 800 g Frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained (Main); 2 Tbsp Olive oil; 1 medium Onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves Garlic, crushed; 2 large handfuls Flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped; ¼ tsp Grated nutmeg; 1 Lemon, finely grated zest and juice; 3 large Eggs, lightly beaten; 250 g Ricotta cheese (Main); 400 g Feta, crumbled (Main); 1 packet Filo pastry, (12 sheets) (Main); 75 g Butter, melted; 3 Tbsp Freshly grated parmesan cheese (Main); 1 serving Sea salt and cracked black pepper; 1 sprinkle Sesame seeds

for 8 people

Kathy Paterson

Food writer and stylist.

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Frozen spinach comes in frozen spinach portions so is easy to weigh out how much you need. Try Pams frozen chopped leaf spinach portions at your local New World.

Ingredients

800 g	Frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained (Main)
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 medium	Onion, finely chopped
4 cloves	Garlic, crushed
2 large handfuls	Flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
¼ tsp	Grated nutmeg
1	Lemon, finely grated zest and juice
3 large	Eggs, lightly beaten
250 g	Ricotta cheese (Main)
400 g	Feta, crumbled (Main)
1 packet	Filo pastry, (12 sheets) (Main)
75 g	Butter, melted
3 Tbsp	Freshly grated parmesan cheese (Main)
1 serving	Sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 sprinkle	Sesame seeds

Directions

Heat the oven to 180C. Butter a tin - 30cm x 22cm x 4cm deep.
Squeeze the spinach to remove excess water. Place a large saucepan over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat, then the well drained spinach, in 2 batches. Cook until the spinach looks dry then transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the saucepan with the onion. Cook gently until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the parsley, nutmeg, lemon zest and juice and season. Mix in the spinach and set aside to cool. (Salt carefully as feta can be salty).
Combine the eggs, ricotta and feta.
Unwrap the filo pastry and cover with a damp tea towel. Arrange a single layer in the tin, covering the base and up the side. Brush lightly with the melted butter, then add another layer of pastry and brush with butter. Repeat until you have 6 layers.
Mix the spinach mixture into the egg mixture. Spoon into the tin, spreading it evenly. Fold the pastry edges from the sides of the tin over the filling and lightly brush them with melted butter. Cover with a layer of pastry, tucking the pastry edges down the sides. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Repeat until the filling is covered with 6 layers of pastry. Brush remaining butter on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and place in the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes until well browned.
Serve warm.

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