Julia’s Delightfully Easy Spanakopita!
Spanakopita
(Serves 6)
400g English spinach leaves, trimmed of any thick stems (from two bunches)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
Handful of dill fronds, finely chopped
Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
250g Greek feta, crumbled
1 egg, frivolously whisked
½ tsp grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
14 sheets of filo pastry
Further virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 tsp every of black and white sesame seeds
Methodology
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place the spinach in a big bowl and sprinkle over a very good pinch of salt. Therapeutic massage the salt into the spinach leaves and permit to take a seat for 10 minutes. After this time, the leaves ought to have wilted considerably. Squeeze all the extra moisture from the spinach. You are able to do this simply along with your arms or by wringing them out in a clear tea towel. Roughly chop and switch to a clear bowl together with the spring onions, garlic, dill, mint, feta, egg and nutmeg. Season to style and put aside.
Brush a 28cm spherical baking dish with some further virgin olive oil. Put aside.
Brush one sheet of filo pastry with further virgin olive oil and drape it into the bottom of the dish. Repeat the brushing and draping with six extra sheets so you may have seven layers of pastry within the base. As you drape the sheets, rotate the best way the sheets are laid into the dish to make sure all the perimeters are properly lined.
Tumble the filling into the dish and clean out with a spoon.
For the highest layers, repeat the method of brushing and draping into the dish, this time in a a lot looser method. Crumpled and free layers will encourage plenty of crunch because the pie cooks. Fold any overhanging pastry in in the direction of the centre of the pie in a free crumply manner, and brush with extra further virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake within the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or till golden.
Serve sizzling or heat (or chilly!) with a easy salad of leafy greens.
