Mediterranean filo pastry pie

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Mediterranean filo pastry pie

 

Serves 6

Cooking and preparation

20 minutes preparation, 45-50 minutes cooking

Ingredients 225g/9oz packet ready-made filo pastry, fresh or frozen (you'll

need about ten sheets measuring about 34cm x 30cm/13in x 12in or larger in size)

85g/3oz butter, melted, for brushing

 

For the filling

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion, halved and sliced finely

600g/1lb 5oz baby leaf spinach

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

55g/2oz sultanas/golden raisens

85g/3oz pine nuts, toasted

225g/8oz feta

3 medium free-range eggs

 

To serve

rocket salad

 

 

You'll need a non-stick lipless baking sheet about 34cm x 30cm/13in x 12in

 

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Remove the filo pastry sheets

from their packaging and place them on a clean work surface. Keep them covered

with a clean, damp cloth while you're working, to stop the pastry from drying

out.

2. For the filling, heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the sliced

the onion and gently fry for 5-6 minutes over a medium heat, until lightly

browned and softened.

3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the

spinach and cook, uncovered, for a few minutes, until it wilts. When the spinach

is cooked, place it in a colander set over a bowl to drain and cool. Discard any

liquid that comes out.

4. Remove the fried onions from the frying pan and place on a plate to cool.

5. With a sharp knife, trim the filo pastry sheets to a size just smaller than

your baking sheet. Place a sheet of filo pastry on the baking sheet and brush

with some of the melted butter, using a pastry brush. Repeat with four more filo

sheets, brushing with butter as you go. This will be the base of the pie. Cover

the remaining five filo pastry sheets with a clean cloth.

6. When the spinach has cooled, place it into a large bowl. Grate in some

fresh nutmeg and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the

sultanas, the cooled onions and the pine nuts.

7. Crumble the feta into the mixture and mix together well. Beat the eggs

together in a clean bowl. Add some of the egg mixture to the spinach mixture.

Add just enough so that the mixture is moist but not runny (you may not use all

of the beaten egg).

8. To assemble the pie, spoon the spinach and feta mixture onto the prepared

filo pastry base. Leave an empty 'frame' around the edge of about 4cm/1½in on

each side.

9. Fold the four edges of the pastry in towards the middle to enclose the

filling.

10. To make the top of the pie, trim the remaining five sheets of filo pastry

to the size of the base with its folded-in edges. Brush one of the filo sheets

with some of the remaining melted butter and place on top of the spinach and

cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining four sheets, brushing with melted

butter as you go.

11. Brush the top layer of filo pastry with the last of the melted butter.

Lightly score the top of the pie with a sharp knife. Bake it in the preheated

oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the filo pastry crust is a deep golden-brown.

12. Serve slices of the pie with a rocket salad.