Spanakopita Recipe
Ingredients
| 1.25 kg/2 1/2-3 lb trimmed spinach or Swiss chard | ||
| 2 or 3 tbls salt | ||
| 60-90 ml/2-3 fl oz olive oil | ||
| 315 g/12 oz Feta cheese, lightly crumbled | ||
| Generous handful each of fresh parsley and dill (or generous amount of dried dill) | ||
| Onions spring | 5 , chopped | |
| Pepper | 1 To taste | |
| 2-3 tbls burghul wheat (optional) | ||
| Eggs | 3 Small | |
| 315-500 g/12 oz-1 lb Phyllo pastry | ||
| A little butter, olive oil or a mixture | ||
Directions
Wash the spinach, or chard, chop or tear coarsely, add the salt and rub it into the spinach.
Leave for an hour in a large colander.
Rinse and squeeze well.
Flavour with olive oil, the cheese and the parsley and dill, finely chopped.
If you use onion ensure that it is very finely chopped.
If you have the burghul wheat, add this to the mixture; it will swell during the cooking, absorbing any excess liquid, and give a firmer pie for cutting which is useful if you expect people to eat it in their hands.
Finally, mix in the eggs.
Select a rectangular ovenproof dish or roasting -tin about 36 X 25 cm/14 X 10 inches.
You can use melted butter, olive oil or a mixture of the two to brush the dish or roasting-tin and the pastry.
Line the dish with 6 layers of phyllo pastry, brushing each with the butter and oil mixture you have chosen.
Spread the filling evenly, then top with more pastry layers treated as before with butter or oil.
Score through the top 2-3 sheets with the tip of a sharp knife to make a diamond pattern.
Sprinkle the top lightly with water, then bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for about 45 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.
Leave for an hour in a large colander.
Rinse and squeeze well.
Flavour with olive oil, the cheese and the parsley and dill, finely chopped.
If you use onion ensure that it is very finely chopped.
If you have the burghul wheat, add this to the mixture; it will swell during the cooking, absorbing any excess liquid, and give a firmer pie for cutting which is useful if you expect people to eat it in their hands.
Finally, mix in the eggs.
Select a rectangular ovenproof dish or roasting -tin about 36 X 25 cm/14 X 10 inches.
You can use melted butter, olive oil or a mixture of the two to brush the dish or roasting-tin and the pastry.
Line the dish with 6 layers of phyllo pastry, brushing each with the butter and oil mixture you have chosen.
Spread the filling evenly, then top with more pastry layers treated as before with butter or oil.
Score through the top 2-3 sheets with the tip of a sharp knife to make a diamond pattern.
Sprinkle the top lightly with water, then bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for about 45 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.
Chef
