Yes, there is no sewing today... sung to the tune of "Yes we have no bananas today".. still. I still have 3 assignments left and then two exams in exam block so I'm trying not to get distracted and finish well. But we gotta eat don't we? This is my quick and easy version of spinach pie or spanakopita in Greek. Normally I make it in a dish and slice it up and it has some raw rice in it (to soak up the water the spinach puts out) but that is because it takes a while in the oven, about 40 minutes. This way it is much quicker to cook (an nicer to eat I think) and so there is no need for the rice. Everything else is the same.
Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen spinach
block feta cheese
finely grated hard cheese (romano, parmesan etc)about a handful
1 or 2 eggs beaten
1 pack filo pastry
20g butter, melted mixed with some olive oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon (if you don't like any or all of these just don't add)
dill chopped if you like it (I didn't use it here)
For the mix, (and I'm not giving amounts here as it is just a feel s you go thing)chop the spinach roughly (if I can't get spinach I use silverbeet and I also use frozen spinach with the water squeezed out) get a block of feta (any sort - low fat, Danish, Greek, Australian or my favourite, Bulgarian)and crumble with your fingers *. Beat one or two eggs (depending on how much mix you have and how much you like eggs - I don't so I only use one)add some pepper, a touch of salt, some nutmeg and cinnamon and mix together. Get the filo pastry and place it in between two kitchen towels to keep it from drying out. Get one sheet and roughly brush with the melted butter/oil mix (I mix with oil to keep the saturated fats down ), working quickly and not very pedantically, do the same with another two sheets (I've worked out three is good but 4 is too many) then one the long side spread the mix lightly about 2cm wide and about 2cm from each edge. Brush the edges all round with the butter and then fold the short edges in then roll the mix in the pastry twisting it at the end a little (it may break but that won't matter)then twist into the shapes below. Place on a tray and brush with butter. Fill your tray and place in a moderate oven (180 deg) about 30 min - but basically you keep checking after about 20 min till you see them brown nicely. They will freeze before cooking so you can pop them out when you want them ... put in frozen or thaw.. won't matter. Just if they are frozen put them in about 160 degree oven till they are brown - just to make sure they get cooked through.
* I know you can buy it crumbled now, but I love licking it all off my fingers when I'm done... wash hands after!!
This is them cooked up ... my son loved them and had them for breakfast and then cold in his lunch box. They take so little time to make but are yummy and impressive. I made them and a salad and took them with us to Byron Bay Blues Festival for lunch. Nothing like the crunch of filo pastry!
Let me know if you make some up. Kali orexi!(bon appètit in Greek).
Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen spinach
block feta cheese
finely grated hard cheese (romano, parmesan etc)about a handful
1 or 2 eggs beaten
1 pack filo pastry
20g butter, melted mixed with some olive oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon (if you don't like any or all of these just don't add)
dill chopped if you like it (I didn't use it here)
For the mix, (and I'm not giving amounts here as it is just a feel s you go thing)chop the spinach roughly (if I can't get spinach I use silverbeet and I also use frozen spinach with the water squeezed out) get a block of feta (any sort - low fat, Danish, Greek, Australian or my favourite, Bulgarian)and crumble with your fingers *. Beat one or two eggs (depending on how much mix you have and how much you like eggs - I don't so I only use one)add some pepper, a touch of salt, some nutmeg and cinnamon and mix together. Get the filo pastry and place it in between two kitchen towels to keep it from drying out. Get one sheet and roughly brush with the melted butter/oil mix (I mix with oil to keep the saturated fats down ), working quickly and not very pedantically, do the same with another two sheets (I've worked out three is good but 4 is too many) then one the long side spread the mix lightly about 2cm wide and about 2cm from each edge. Brush the edges all round with the butter and then fold the short edges in then roll the mix in the pastry twisting it at the end a little (it may break but that won't matter)then twist into the shapes below. Place on a tray and brush with butter. Fill your tray and place in a moderate oven (180 deg) about 30 min - but basically you keep checking after about 20 min till you see them brown nicely. They will freeze before cooking so you can pop them out when you want them ... put in frozen or thaw.. won't matter. Just if they are frozen put them in about 160 degree oven till they are brown - just to make sure they get cooked through.
* I know you can buy it crumbled now, but I love licking it all off my fingers when I'm done... wash hands after!!
This is them cooked up ... my son loved them and had them for breakfast and then cold in his lunch box. They take so little time to make but are yummy and impressive. I made them and a salad and took them with us to Byron Bay Blues Festival for lunch. Nothing like the crunch of filo pastry!
Let me know if you make some up. Kali orexi!(bon appètit in Greek).
