How To Make The Tastiest Spinach Pie

The ultimate way of eating and entertaining at a Greek table is with a selection of mezze (small dishes or plates similar to tapas). Keeping the Spanakopita as the main dish at the table, we’ve included recipes for a Melitzanosalata eggplant dip, Tzatziki yoghurt dip, and roasted figs with pistachios and date syrup. Other mezze elements you might like to include in your brunch spread are hummus, warmed pita bread, dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), kalamata olives, taramasalata fish roe dip, and a classic Greek salad.

For the spinach and feta pie
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 1 small onion, diced
– 500g spinach
– 1 tsp nutmeg
– ½ bunch parsley, chopped
– 200g feta, crumbled
– 2 eggs, lightly beaten
– salt and pepper
– 1 package filo pastry
– 1 cup olive oil
– 1 tbsp pine nuts seeds, toasted

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper and lightly Greece with olive oil. Set aside.
2. Fry the onion in a little olive oil for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add spinach and cook until wilted (you may need to add the spinach in batches). Once the spinach has cooked down, add the parsley for a minute and then sieve to remove access water. Once cool, squeeze out as much water as you can.
3. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the nutmeg, feta, around 1.5 of the beaten eggs and season. Stir gently to combine.
4. To assemble pie lay one sheet of dough (keep the longer side in front of you) on your work surface and lightly brush with olive oil. Lay another sheet on top of the first sheet and brush with oil. Add a large pinch of filling (enough to cover the width of the sheet) and start by rolling the sheet away from you, lightly pressing, so that the filling is packed. Then, roll it into a spiral and place it in the centre of your prepared baking pan. Continue, using 2 sheets at a time, brushed with olive oil, until you have used up all of the filling. Roll each one around the previous one, to make the spiral larger.

5. Once you have used up all of the filling, add a dash of water to remaining beaten egg and brush all over to complete spiral.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts before serving. Enjoy warm or room temperature.

Roast figs, pistachios, Greek yoghurt side
– 8 figs, halved
– 1 tablespoon date syrup (or maple syrup)
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– Handful pistachios, chopped

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place figs in an oven-proof pan, drizzle with date syrup, olive oil, and sprinkle over pistachios. Cook for 8 minutes, or until figs are soft but have a bite to them. Serve with Greek yoghurt.

Greek Eggplant Dip / Melitzanosalata
– 2 large eggplants
– 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
– ½ freshly squeezed lemon juice
– Sea salt and black pepper
– Chopped kalamata olives for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and prick a few times with a fork. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway, until charred outside and soft inside. Leave to cool.
2. Peel the skin away from the flesh (if this proves difficult, simple slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the meat), and roughly chop the flesh.
3. Transfer the eggplant to a large bowl and gently mash with a fork. Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
4. Chill for one hour in the fridge. Serve drizzled with olive oil and topped with olives.

Tzatziki / Yoghurt Dip
– 1 Lebanese cucumber, grated
– 200g Greek yogurt
– 1 garlic clove, finely minced
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– ¼ lemon juice
– Large pinch sea salt
– 1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped

1. Using a fine sieve, drain the grated cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
2. In a large bowl, combine the salt and garlic, followed by olive oil and lemon juice, before adding the yoghurt.
3. Stir in the grated cucumber and mint. Season to taste.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.