Spinach is my favourite vegetable, perhaps because my body craves iron. Whatever the reason, it was the obvious choice for my birthday dinner. Spinach and feta are a great combination and I like to make a hearty filling out of them that I wrap up in delicate filo (also spelled phyllo) dough, but puff pastry works fine too.
Ingredients:
1-2 onions, depending on how oniony you like it
2-3 cloves garlic, optional, also depending on taste
2-4 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
2 cups feta cheese (or 1 cup feta plus 1 cup cottage cheese, if you want lower fat)
2 pounds spinach (if fresh, it should be washed carefully, and if frozen, it should be well thawed)
5-6 artichoke hearts in oil
handful of black olives
1 package phyllo dough
Instructions:
1. Chop the onion/s. Mince the garlic, if using it. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2. Gently fry the onions in some of the olive oil until golden, then add the garlic, if using it. (This step can be skipped if you would prefer slightly crunchy and more strongly flavored onions in the pie.)
3. Beat the eggs lightly.
4. Crumble the feta. Mix the feta with the cottage cheese, if using it.
5. Blend the eggs, cheese/s, spinach, onion, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Chop the artichokes and olives and add them to the mixture.
6. Lightly oil a casserole dish. Line it with one sheet of phyllo, then brush that sheet with oil, and add another sheet on top.
7. Spread out some of the filling on top of the phyllo.
8. Place another sheet on top, then some more filling. Repeat until the filling is all used up and then cover it with another sheet of dough. Brush it lightly with olive oil (or beaten egg yolk, if you prefer) and tuck any excess edges in.
9. Bake the spanokopita for 30-50 minutes, checking after about 25 minutes to see how golden and ready it is.
10. Serve and enjoy!
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