Kale Spanakopita Food

FETA AND KALE SPANAKOPITA SPIRAL

Steps:

• Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan, and add the chopped onion. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring regularly, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chopped kale, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and leave to cool.
• In the same pan, gently heat the Primula cheese with the milk, until it creates a smooth sauce.
• Add the cheese sauce to the kale mixture, along with the crumbled feta, pine nuts, chopped parsley, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.
• Heat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).
• Lay a large sheet of filo on a flat surface, and lightly spray all over with oil. Lay another sheet on top. Spoon about a third of the kale mixture along one of the long edges of the filo, and roll.
• Spray again with oil, and place it onto a lined, greased baking tray, curling tightly to create the centre of the spiral. Don't worry if you end up with a couple of small tears in the pastry - just use a scrap of filo to cover the gap, and tuck in any loose edges.
• Repeat with the remaining pastry and kale mixture, adding the next two rolls to the spiral working outwards.
• Spray the entire spiral with oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until the filo pastry is golden brown and crispy - mine took about 50 minutes, but check it intermittently, as the thin pastry can burn if not watched carefully.

SPANOKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the scallions. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the scallions, dill, eggs, feta, salt, and pepper and mix together.
• Keep the phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel. Unfold 1 sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs until all 10 sheets have been used. Spoon 3/4 cup of the spinach mixture into a sausage shape along one edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up. Brush the top with butter and score the roll into 1-inch rounds. Place it on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all the pastry and filling have been used.
• Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm.

KALE AND PECAN SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200'C, gas mark 6. Melt butter in oil in a large wide-based pan, and gently fry the onions for 10 minutes to soften. Add the pecans and garlic, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the kale and 1 tbsp water (you may need to do this in batches). Season, cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until tender. Uncover and cook for 2 minutes, then drain in a colander. Allow to cool.
• Put the cooled kale mixture in a large bowl and fold in the nutmeg, feta, eggs and dill.
• Brush an ovenproof dish (about 20 x 30cm, 8x12 in) with oil. Use 4 filo sheets to line the dish, brushing with oil and overlapping as you go. Put in the filling and spread it evenly over the dish. Fold over the excess pastry.
• Oil the remaining filo and use it to top the pie, oiled side up. Use a sharp knife to score the top into 6 equal pieces. Scatter with caraway seeds and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.