Spanakopita

Continuing with our Greek theme Julie and I remembered one of our all time favourite Greek dishes - Spanakopita - a spinach and feta cheese pie. (So looking forward to our trip to Kefalonia in May!) 

Ingredients
900g spinach
225g feta cheese
450g leeks, washed and thinly sliced 
3 free range eggs large, beaten
150ml milk
1 tbsp dill, chopped
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
8 spring onions, sliced 
100g pine nuts
225g filo pastry sheets
6 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

Method
In a large frying pan, saute the leeks in 2 tbsp of oil until they soften. In a large saucepan wilt the spinach over a high heat and drain it thoroughly in a colander. Squeeze out all excess water.

In a large bowl, mash the feta with a fork and add the beaten eggs, milk, dill and nutmeg, and season well with salt and pepper. Add the spinach, leeks and spring onions and pine nuts, and fold these into the mixture.

Grease an square baking tin (approx. 20cm) and line with half the pastry sheets, laying them one sheet at a time, brushing each one with olive oil. Next spread the mixture evenly over the pastry. Finish with another layer of the remaining pastry, again brushing each sheet with olive oil, especially the last sheet.

Bake at 190C for 40-45 minutes until the top of the pie is golden and crisp. Allow to cool a little before cutting it into squares with a sharp knife.