Making the most of every season in the kitchen

A simple spanakopita-inspired pie (or filo parcels) to use all those sprightly spring greens, with a heavy dose of fresh herbs and complemented with salty feta. I generally use silverbeet as the main green component in this pie because it grows abundantly in the garden and goes much further than spinach when cooked. However, you can also use frozen spinach.

4 tbsp olive oil

1 leek (about 250g), washed and finely sliced

500g leafy greens — silverbeet, beetroot greens, spinach

pinch of salt

handful of fresh herbs — oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill, chopped

200g feta, crumbled

1 free-range egg, beaten

generous twist of cracked pepper

60g butter

12 sheets filo pastry

Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C).

Heat a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the leek and sauté for five minutes to soften.

Wash and roughly chop the greens, stalks included. Add to the pan with the salt. Cover, and cook for five to six minutes until the greens have wilted — the water remaining on the leaves from washing will be enough to steam the greens. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until any excess cooking liquid has evaporated (turn up the heat if needed). Tip on to a plate to cool a little.

In a bowl combine the chopped herbs, feta, egg and cracked pepper.

Fold through the warm greens mixture.

In a small saucepan, melt together the butter and remaining three tablespoons of oil. Use a pastry brush to grease a shallow roasting dish with the butter mixture.

Unroll the filo pastry and arrange two sheets in the dish, brush with the butter mixture, then repeat this layer twice more — with six sheets of filo used.

Spread the greens mixture evenly over the filo, leaving a 4cm border.

Arrange another two sheets of filo on top, brushing with the melted butter mixture, and repeat this filo layer twice more. A total of 12 sheets of filo have now been used. Fold over the edges to encase the mixture and drizzle any remaining butter mixture over the pie.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is golden. Cut into wedges and serve hot or cold.

The filling above can be used to make filo parcels as follows. Lay two sheets of filo on the bench, with a short side closest to you.

Brush generously with the butter mixture. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the greens mixture onto the bottom left corner of the pastry. Fold over the long edge in half from right to left to cover the mixture. Brush the pastry again with butter. Fold the bottom left corner over at an angle to meet the folded edge, making a triangle shape. Continue to fold left to right in this triangle shape until the pastry is all used up.

Place onto a baking tray, brush again and scatter with sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets and filling. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

This recipe uses about half a packet of filo pastry. Unused filo pastry can be returned to the packet, well-sealed and stored in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for a month.

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