Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

Ingredients

• 800 g spinach
• 300 g feta, crumbled
• 200 g ricotta
• 3 eggs
• 1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
• a big handful of dill, chopped
• a grating of nutmeg
• 1 packet of filo pastry
• 90 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

1. Wilt and wring

   Wilt the spinach in batches, cool it, then squeeze it out in a tea towel until you cannot get another drop. This is the single thing that decides whether the pie is crisp or soggy, and it always takes more squeezing than you think.

   15 min

2. Soften the spring onions

   Fry the spring onions in a little of the oil until soft, then let them cool. Added hot, they start to cook the eggs in the filling.

   5 min

3. Mix the filling

   Chop the spinach and mix with the feta, ricotta, eggs, dill, nutmeg and pepper. Go carefully with salt — feta usually makes it unnecessary.

4. Layer the filo

   Brush each sheet with oil and layer half of them into the tin, letting them overhang. Keep the unused sheets under a damp cloth; filo dries into brittle shards within a couple of minutes of being uncovered.

5. Fill and seal

   Spread the filling in, layer the remaining oiled sheets on top, then roll and tuck the overhang in to seal the edge. Scatter with sesame seeds.

6. Score and bake

   Score the top into portions with a sharp knife before baking at 190°C until deep gold. Scoring now means you can cut it later without shattering the whole top.

   45 min