SPINACH AND FETA FILO PIE
- whenincalabria
- Jul 26, 2013
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 15
A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and flaky crispiness - Greek summer on a plate.
Nothing says summer like spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in crispy, flaky filo pastry.
The creamy cheese with its mild saltiness and tang, paired with the earthy, wilted spinach leaves, perfectly complements the buttery, crispy pastry.
Since discovering this recipe many years ago, it has become one of our favorite dishes and a summer staple.
Accompanied by a simple tomato salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it's an ideal family meal for a hot summer's day, but also makes an excellent first course for a dinner party, or an appetizer for a large gathering.
The recipe can be easily scaled up or down. The pie can be cut into any size pieces and number of portions, even small, and they hold their shape very well.
The dish is easy to make: the onions are fried, the spinach wilted, and then combined with the remaining ingredients into a filling that is encased and topped with butter-brushed sheets of filo pastry.
Once baked, the filo sheets transform into layers of golden-brown, buttery, crispy, and flaky gorgeousness, creating the perfect topping for the scrumptious, tender, and moist feta and spinach filling.
Tips:
Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you plan to cut and serve it later, allowing you to slice along the pre-scored lines after baking, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. If you prefer, cut the pie into equal-squares or rectangles, and into a multiple of the number of guestrsyou are serving.
If using frozen filo pastry, make sure to completely defrost it before use, as it will easily break if too cold.
Keep the pastry covered at all times under a kitchen towel while not using, to prevent it from drying out.
The original recipe included roasted pine nuts and raisins, but I've always left them out, as I prefer the dish without the sweet note. If you like, you can include them; see details below.
If you like this recipe, you may also like SPINACH & FETA BOREK.
How to prepare:
SPINACH AND FETA FILO PIE
A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and crispy flakiness - Greek summer on a plate.
Recipe based on: 'Spinach and Feta Filo Pie' by Lesley Waters, Good Food Channel
INGREDIENTS:
Makes approximately 8 portions:
Note: Depending on the size of spinach bags you find, you can use more spinach and also more feta cheese - might as well use them up.
approximatel600g fresh spinach leaves
approximately 225g Feta cheese
225g filo (phyllo) pastry
3 eggs
1 large red onion
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Small knob of butter, plus butter for greasing the pastry
Freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
(Optional: 85g toasted pine nuts, 55g raisins)
Also: A shallow baking dish, approximately 20x30cm
DIRECTIONS:
Gather and prepare all the ingredients: In case of using frozen filo pastry, make sure to allow it to defrost completely before using. Wash the spinach leaves and dry them with a salad spinner. Peel and finely dice 1 large onion. Cut 225g feta cheese into small cubes. Melt the butter used for brushing the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly butter the baking dish.
Sauté the onion: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté 1 large diced red onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, wilt the spinach: Heat a small knob of butter in a large saucepan, add the spinach, and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes until the leaves are wilted. If the spinach does not fit inside the pot, fill the pot to the brim with leaves, wait until they start to wilt, then add the rest. You want to set the heat high enough, so that most of the spinach water evaporates as the spinach cooks. When the spinach is wilted, transfer it to a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid with a large spoon, then roughly chop it and transfer it to the bowl.
Add the spices: Season the spinach and onions with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stir well, then leave them to cool.
Add feta and eggs: Add the cubed feta together with the eggs to the cooled spinach and onion and stir well.
Place 4 layers of pastry into the baking dish: Put a filo sheet in the buttered dish, allowing it to drape over the edges, and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process with 3 more layers of buttered pastry. Important: Keep the filo pastry sheets covered at all times under a damp kitchen towel until using, to prevent them from drying out.
Add the filling: Distribute the spinach-feta mixture evenly on top, and smooth the surface.
Fold the dough inward, add 4-5 additional layers of pastry: start by folding the overhanging pastry sheets inward, then place another 4 to 5 layers of butter-brushed pastry on top, matching the size of the dish. Depending on the dimensions of your dish and filo pastry, you may need to cut the sheets in half to fit the size of your dish. Alternatively , you can fold them, but then make sure to brush butter between the layers.
Score the top: Brush the top sheet with melted butter, then score it with the tip of a very sharp knife but without cutting into the filling. Tip:
Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you intend to cut and serve it later, allowing you to slice along these lines once the pie is baked, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. So instead of cutting it into a diamond shape pattern, cut it into equal size squares, or rectangles if you prefer, a multiple of the number of guests you are serving, and in a way that lets you cut nice equal size pieces later.
Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Serve: Serve hot or warm with a simple tomato salad, flavoured with thinly sliced red onion, salt, balsamic vinegar, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
TEXT-ONLY RECIPE
SPINACH AND FETA FILO PIE
A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and crispy flakiness - Greek summer on a plate.
Recipe based on: 'Spinach and Feta Filo Pie' by Lesley Waters, Good Food Channel
INGREDIENTS:
Makes approximately 8 portions:
Note: Depending on the size of spinach bags you find, you can use more spinach and also more feta cheese - might as well use them up.
approximately 600g fresh spinach leaves
approximately 225g Feta cheese
225g filo (phyllo) pastry
3 eggs
1 large red onion
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Small knob of butter, plus butter for greasing the pastry
Freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
(Optional: 85g toasted pine nuts, 55g raisins)
Also: A shallow baking dish, approximately 20x30cm
DIRECTIONS:
Gather and prepare all the ingredients: Wash the spinach leaves and dry them with a salad spinner. Peel and finely dice 1 large onion. Cut 225g feta cheese into small cubes. Melt the butter.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly butter the baking dish.
Make the Filling:
Sauté the onion: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté 1 large diced red onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, wilt the spinach: Heat a small knob of butter in a large saucepan, add the spinach, and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes until the leaves are wilted. If the spinach does not fit inside the pot, fill the pot to the brim with leaves, wait until they start to wilt, then add the rest. You want to set the heat high enough, so that most of the spinach water evaporates as the spinach cooks. When the spinach is wilted, transfer it to a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid with a large spoon, then roughly chop it and transfer it to the bowl.
Add the spices: Season the spinach and onions with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stir well, then leave them to cool.
Add feta and eggs: Add the cubed feta together with the eggs to the cooled spinach and onion and stir well. Layer the Pie:
Place 4 layers of pastry into the baking dish: Put a filo sheet in the buttered dish, allowing it to drape over the edges, and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process with 3 more layers of buttered pastry. Important: Keep the filo pastry sheets covered at all times under a damp kitchen towel until using, to prevent them from drying out.
Add the filling: Distribute the spinach-feta mixture evenly on top, and smooth the surface.
Fold the dough inward and add 4-5 additional layers of pastry: start by folding the overhanging pastry sheets inward, then place another 4 to 5 layers of butter-brushed pastry on top, matching the size of the dish. Depending on the dimensions of your dish and filo pastry, you may need to cut the sheets in half to fit the size of your dish. Alternatively , you can fold them, but then make sure to brush butter between the layers.
Score the top: Brush the top sheet with melted butter, then score the top carefully with the tip of a very sharp knife in a cross-hatch/diamond shape or square/rectangle pattern but without cutting all the way into the filling. Tip:
Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you intend to cut and serve the pie later, allowing you to slice along these lines once the pie is baked, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. So instead of cutting it into a diamond shape pattern, cut it into equal size squares, or rectangles if you prefer, and a multiple of the number of guests you are serving.
Bake: Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Serve: Serve hot or warm with a simple tomato salad, flavoured with thinly sliced red onion, salt, balsamic vinegar, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
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