Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

This is one of those recipes that feels like a real celebration of flavour and texture. Inspired by the much-loved Greek classic spanakopita, but with little touches of Cypriot and Moroccan character running through it, this pie brings together everything you want from a savoury bake. You’ve got the crisp, buttery filo on the outside, shattering beautifully as you cut into it, and then that rich, hearty filling in the middle packed with spinach, feta, halloumi, walnuts, herbs, and spice. The nutmeg brings warmth, the nigella and sesame seeds add a lovely aromatic finish, and the cheeses give it that perfect salty, savoury depth. It’s the sort of dish that works brilliantly for lunch, dinner, or as part of a sharing table, and I love serving it with cool tzatziki and a few wedges of lemon for squeezing over the top just before eating.

Timings:

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20–30 minutes

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

• 800g spinach

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 200g feta cheese

• 250g halloumi cheese, grated

• 3 eggs

• 100g walnuts

• Fresh nutmeg, for grating

• Black pepper, for seasoning

• 1 tsp nigella seeds

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 50g melted butter

• 250g filo pastry

  
  

Method:

1. Preheat a large non-stick pan and add the olive oil, salt, and spinach.

2. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted.

3. Remove the spinach from the heat and transfer it to a sieve set over a bowl.

4. Press the spinach firmly with the back of a spoon to remove as much moisture as possible.

5. In a large bowl, crumble in the feta and add the grated halloumi.

6. Add the eggs, walnuts, and drained spinach.

7. Stir in some of the nigella seeds, dried oregano, and sesame seeds.

8. Season with black pepper and grate in a little fresh nutmeg.

9. Mix everything together to form the filling.

10. Unwrap the filo pastry. Lay down the first sheet and brush with melted butter.

11. Overlap a second sheet so that half hangs over, increasing the size of the pastry sheet.

12. Continue until you have a long rectangle, roughly 60cm long.

13. Repeat this process until you have 3 layers of pastry thickness.

14. Spoon the spinach and cheese filling into the centre in a long sausage shape.

15. Brush the inside edges of the pastry with melted butter and roll it up like a sausage roll.

16. Then coil it around itself like a snail shell to create a round pie.

17. Tuck the end underneath and carefully transfer to a baking tray or round metal pie dish.

18. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

19. Sprinkle over the remaining nigella seeds, sesame seeds, and a little oregano.

20. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 20–30 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

    
    

Chef’s Tip:

The most important step here is squeezing as much moisture as possible out of the spinach. If it’s too wet, the filling will steam inside the pastry and you’ll lose that lovely crisp finish. Serve it warm with tzatziki and lemon wedges for the perfect fresh contrast.