Spinach Filo Spiral Pie Food

SPINACH AND FETA FILO SWIRL PIE

Steps:

• For the filling, gently fry both types of onion in a pan with a glug of olive oil and seasoning for 6-8 minutes until starting to soften. Set aside in a large mixing bowl while you prepare the spinach.
• Wilt the spinach in batches in your largest pan with a tiny splash of water (or in their bags in the microwave, if you prefer). Drain, cool, then squeeze out any excess water in a colander using a wooden spoon. Put in a clean tea towel or muslin square and squeeze tightly to remove any remaining water. Roughly chop and put in the bowl with the onions.
• Add all the cheeses, the eggs, fresh and dried herbs, chilli flakes, lemon juice, pine nuts (if using), a good grating of nutmeg, a little salt and plenty of black pepper, then mix thoroughly.
• Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Put 1 rectangular sheet of filo on a work surface, brush all over with melted butter, then top with another sheet of filo, brushing as before. Add a third of the spinach mixture in a line along one long edge, then roll up into a cylinder, brushing the filo with butter as you roll (see tip).
• Starting from one end, wind the filo into a coil and put on the baking sheet. Repeat twice more in the same way, coiling each filo cylinder around the previous one to make a larger spiral. Brush the finished pie all over with melted butter (or use olive oil if you've run out), then sprinkle with the seeds. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve scattered with lemon zest and chopped dill, with bowls of yogurt and olives alongside.

SPINACH AND THREE CHEESE PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• For the spinach and cheese mixture: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
• In a large dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts. Remove and reserve. In the same skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach. Cook until tender and any excess water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, mix the eggs, feta, ricotta, Parmesan, pine nuts, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Add the reserved spinach mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to the baking dish, pressing to make sure it is even.
• For the phyllo dough crust: Layer sheets of phyllo onto the spinach mixture, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next. Fold the edges to make a crust and brush with butter. Sprinkle with za'atar or sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes.

VEGGIE SPIRAL PIE WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE & CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan, tip in the cumin and coriander seeds and toast for a few mins until you can smell their fragrance and they turn a shade darker, then tip into a pestle and mortar. Add the oil to the pan, then tip in the onions and cook slowly until golden and caramelised - this will take 15-20 mins. Meanwhile, bring 2 pans of water to the boil. Add the lentils to 1 pan and cook for 20 mins. Put the rice and a pinch of salt in the other pan and cook for 5 mins (it should still have a little bite). Drain both pans, and leave the lentils and rice to steam-dry.
• Boil the kettle. Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for 1-2 mins over a low heat. Grind the whole spices in the pestle and mortar to a fine powder and add these to the onion mixture. Grate half of the nutmeg and add to the onions with the turmeric and allspice.
• Put the spinach in a colander in the sink, pour over a kettle of boiling water, then rinse under cold water. Use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the spinach and add to the onions with the herbs, lemon zest and juice and the rice, lentils and plenty of seasoning. Leave to cool before stirring through the feta.
• To assemble the pie, you'll need plenty of space on your work surface - about 1 metre. Unwrap the filo and cover with a damp tea towel. Have your bowls of melted butter and beaten egg to hand, as well as a pastry brush for each. Working quickly, lay 4 sheets of filo end to end, running along the length of your work surface, and butter each piece generously, overlapping each sheet by about 10cm. Top with another 4 sheets, butter well, then repeat with 3 final sheets of filo (save the last one to cover any cracks later on.)
• Spoon the rice filling down the centre of the filo, leaving 5cm free on either end. Brush the egg around the edges and tuck the ends in to cover the filling. Starting from one end, roll the filo over the filling, working your way along until you have a long filo sausage. From one end, start to coil the sausage back on itself - if the pastry cracks, patch it over the hole with your reserved piece of filo. When the coil is complete, slide onto a tray lined with baking parchment, brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. You can now cover it loosely with cling film and chill for up to 24 hrs.
• When you're ready to bake, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the pie on the middle shelf and bake for 45 mins until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, tip the ingredients for the tomato sauce into a pan, season and bubble for 30 mins until rich and thick.
• For the salad, halve the cucumber through the centre, then cut in half lengthways and chop into small cubes. Put in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and season well. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Leave the pie to cool for 20 mins before serving with the sauce, salad and a large bowl of yogurt.

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saute pan on medium heat, saute the onions with the olive oil until translucent and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly. Squeeze out and discard as much of the liquid from the spinach as possible. Put the spinach into a bowl and then gently mix in the onions, eggs, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, feta, and pignoli. Butter an ovenproof, nonstick, 8-inch saute pan and line it with 6 stacked sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with melted butter and letting the edges hang over the pan. Pour the spinach mixture into the middle of the phyllo and neatly fold the edges up and over the top to seal in the filling. Brush the top well with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.