Recipes from around the world

Cheese and Spinach Pie

Ingredients

• 3 tbs. olive oil
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 3 tbs. finely chopped spring onions, including 5 cm of the green tops
• 1kg. fresh spinach, washed, thoroughly drained and finely chopped
• 3 tbs. finely cut fresh dill leaves, or substitute 5 tsp. dill weed or dried fennel
• 3 tbs. finely chopped parsley, preferably flat-leaf parsley
• ½ tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbs. milk
• 225g. feta cheese, finely crumbled
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 225g. butter, melted
• 16 sheets phyllo pastry, each about 35cm long and 30cm wide

Method

1. Heat the olive oil over moderate heat in a large, heavy frying pan.
2. Add the onions and spring onions and stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and transparent but not brown.
3. Stir in the spinach, cover tightly and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Then add the dill, parsley, salt and a few grindings of pepper and stirring and shaking the pan almost constantly, cook uncovered for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the spinach has begun to stick lightly to the pan.
5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the milk. Cool to room temperature, then add the cheese and slowly beat in the eggs.
6. Preheat the oven to 150 ° C.
7. Grease the bottom and sides of a 30 by 18 by 5cm baking dish with melted butter, using a pastry brush.
8. Line the dish with a sheet of phyllo, pressing the edges of the pastry firmly into the corners and against the sides of the dish. Brush the entire surface of the pastry with about 2 tsp. of the remaining butter, spreading it all the way to the outside edges and lay another sheet of phyllo on top. Spread with another 2 tsp. of butter and continue in this fashion until you have used 8 layers of phyllo.
9. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the last layer of phyllo and smooth it into the corners. Then place another sheet of phyllo on top, coat with butter, and repeat with the remaining layers of phyllo and butter. Trim the excess pastry from around the rim of the dish.
10. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining butter and bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour, until the pastry is crisp and delicately browned.
11. Cut into squares and serve hot or at room temperature.
    Serves 6 – 8