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Rediff.com  » Getahead » Food » Recipe: How to make a Greek spinach and cheese pie

Recipe: How to make a Greek spinach and cheese pie

By NADIYA SARGUROH
February 15, 2021 14:42 IST
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Spanakopita is a classic Greek savoury pie filled with the goodness of spinach and cheese, encased in a crispy pastry.

It's a great breakfast option, especially with a tomato salad on the side, and you will find several versions of it.

Food blogger Nadiya Sarguroh has an enticing recipe.

Photograph: Kind courtesy HautePot

Spanakopita

Makes: 6-8 triangles

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 280 gm fresh spinach leaves
  • 4 sheets of filo or phyllo pastry, thawed 45-60 minutes, if frozen (sheets are easily available in stores)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for greasing baking tray and filo/phyllo sheets

For the filling

  • ½ cup cottage cheese (since cotttage cheese is rarely available in India, substitute with an equal mixture of ricotta and paneer or an equal mixture of hung curd and paneer)
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or less
  • ¼ tsp black pepper, crushed
  • ½ tsp red chilly powder

Method

  • In a colander wash the spinach leaves well.
    Squeeze excess water, pat dry and roughly chop. Keep aside. 
  • Heat the olive oil in a large flat frying pan over low heat. Do not allow it to smoke. 
    Add the finely chopped onions and fry until softened.  
  • Add the spinach leaves and cook until it looks wilted. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl add all the filling ingredients along with the cooked spinach and onions.
    Add just a pinch of salt and mix well.
    Taste the mixture and adjust the salt as feta cheese can be quite salty.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C and brush a baking tray with oil.
    If using an air fryer, preheat to 180°C and lightly brush the basket with oil. 
  • On a cutting board, place the 4 filo sheets on top of each other.
    Don't forget to brush each sheet with oil and avoid pressing the sheets down.
  • Using a pizza cutter, cut the sheets, parallel to the short edge into 8 equal strips.
  • Add about 1 tsp of filling on one end of the sheet and keep folding diagonally to make a triangle.
    Repeat for all strips. 
  • Place all the 8 triangles on the baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden. 
    If using an air fryer, cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown at 180°C.
  • Leave to cool. Serve with a Greek tomato salad or a chickpea salad.

Nadiya Sarguroh lives in Mumbai and publishes the food blog HautePot.

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