SPANAKOPITA, GREEK SPINACH PIE

Ingredients

½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
200g feta cheese
1 kg spinach, blanched, strained well & roughly chopped
150g onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 small leek, finely chopped
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp plain flour
1 soup spoon dill, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
Approx 10 sheets filo pastry
Extra Olive Oil to brush pastry
Freshly ground pepper
Salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Put olive oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add onions, spring onions and leeks and sauté in the oil until transparent, taking care not to let them turn brown.
  3. Add flour, stir and add spinach, stir again to mix well, cook for a few seconds then add the dill, sugar, pepper and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a bowl, mash together feta cheese and eggs then add to the spinach mixture (be careful not to add too much salt as the feta is quite salty and spinach tends to absorb salt).
  5. Lightly brush a flat oven-proof dish (approx 28cm diameter in size) with olive oil.
  6. Add 5 layers of filo pastry, brushing each one with oil. Put spinach and feta mixture on top and spread over the pastry. Top with another 5 layers of filo pastry, again brushing each sheet with oil.
  7. Take a sharp knife and score diagonally across the top to form diamond shapes, be careful not to cut too deep. Brush again with plenty of olive oil.
  8. Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden