Spinach

This recipe is a combination of the amazing Greek speciality - Spanakopita, and a hint of Cypriot and Moroccan flavours. Put it all together and you get the most amazing pie that is crispy on the outside and packed full of flavouring the middle. I like to serve this up with tzatziki and a few lemons to Drizzle over the top.

Ingredients 800g Spinach 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Olive oil 200g Feta cheese 250g Halloumi cheese, grated 3 eggs 100g Walnuts 1 nutmeg Pepper for seasoning 1 tsp nigella seeds 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 tsp Dried oregano 50g meted butter 250g Filo pastry

Here’s how: Pre heat a large non stick pan and add the oil, salt and spinach. Place the lid on the pan to trap in the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Once the spinach is cooked remove from the heat and place in a sieve over a bowl. Press the spinach with the back of a spoon to push out all of the moisture, this is really important as it will help make sure your pie stays crispy. Crumble the feta cheese into a bowl and add the grated halloumi. Add the eggs, walnuts and cooked spinach. Stir in a few Nigella seeds, the oregano and the sesame seeds. Season with a little black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix together to form the filling of your pie.

Un wrap the filo. As you lay the first sheet down, brush with melted butter, then take the second sheet and overlap so half hangs over to increase the size of the sheet by 50%. Continue to do this until you have a long rectangle, approx 60cm. Repeat the process to create 3 layers of thickness. You will need this to keep the filling inside the pastry. Add the spinach and cheese filling into the centre of the pastry creating a sausage shape, the same way you would make sausage rolls. Brush the inside of the pastry and roll up towards yourself like a sausage roll, then roll up like a snail shell to create a round. Tuck the end underneath itself before carefully transferring the pie on to a baking tray or a round metal pie dish. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle over a few of the remaining nigella and sesame seeds along with a little oregano. Bake in a pre heated oven for 20-30 minutes at 170c or until golden and crisp.

Try a cool Californian Chardonnay with this recipe Recipe by Peter Sidwell