Spinach and Feta Pie (Spanakopita)
Pastry
8 Sheets of ready made filo pastry
Filling
500g Fresh spinach
100g Butter / Ghee
1 Large onion - finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic - chopped
200g Feta Cheese
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 Eggs - beaten
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill*
4 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley*
salt and ground black pepper
*The recipe will easily take more herbs if you want to increase that flavour
Preheat the oven to 180 Deg C / 350 deg F / Gas 4
Wash the spinach well (if needed), place in a large saucepan over a low heat to cook down gently until it is completely wilted. Leave this to cool, drain well and squeeze out any excess water (use your hands). Roughly chop the squeezed spinach.
Melt about 25g of the butter in frying pan, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove the pan from the heat and mix the onion, garlic and spinach in a large bowl. Add the pine nuts, herbs, the beaten eggs and crumble in the feta. Gently mix everything together and add salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the remaining butter. Arrange a sheet of filo pastry a shallow tin or ovenproof dish (about 22cm / 8 inch square), allow the edges of the pastry to overhang. Brush with melted butter, then arrange three more sheets on top, brushing each with melted butter as you go. Spoon the filling onto the top of the pastry sheets and spread out evenly. Fold the edges of the pastry over the top of the filling and place another layer of filo on top. Again brush with melted butter and layer on the remaining filo sheets. brushing each with the melted butter.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.