This Mediterranean treat will have you going back for seconds (and thirds…) Can be made as a whole pie or as the traditional individual triangles.
Recipe by Anna Montali
Assisted by Nomvuselelo Mncube
Photograph by Karl Rogers
Spanakopita (spinach, feta and phyllo pie)
Ingredients
- 125ml (½ cup) olive oil
- 80ml (1/3 cup) butter, melted
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2kg baby spinach, washed and dried
- 60ml (¼ cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh dill, chopped
- 30ml (2 tbsp) ground nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 300g feta, crumbled
- 250g crème fraîche
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 500g phyllo pastry
- sesame seeds
Instructions
Heat 80ml (1/3 cup) of the oil and 30ml (2 tbsp) of the butter in a large frying pan, and sauté the onion for a few seconds.
Add the spinach, parsley and dill, and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add the nutmegand season. Set aside until needed.
Combine the feta, crème fraîche and eggs in a large mixing bowl and add it to the spinach mixture. Stir to mix well.
Mix the remaining oil and butter in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly grease an ovenproof tray.
Brush each sheet of phyllo with the butter mixture and neatly lay sixsheets to cover the bottom of the tray.
Spoon half of the spinach mixture onto the phyllo and spread evenly. Press with a spatula to flatten.
Layer another two buttered phyllo sheets over the spinach mixture, top with the remaining spinach mixture and finish with another four layers of phyllo. Tuck in the excess phyllo andbrush the top with the butter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Score the top layer of the phyllo to enable easier cutting later on. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake until golden, for about 20 – 25 minutes. Serve hot.
