Spinach & Feta Spanakopita

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg frozen whole-leaf spinach
• 200 g feta + 250 g ricotta
• 3 eggs
• 3 spring onions
• 15 g fresh dill
• 10 brick pastry sheets
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Nutmeg, salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• 26 cm round tin
• Mixing bowl
• Frying pan
• Pastry brush
• Clean tea towel
• Knife

📖 Steps

1. Defrost the spinach in the fridge the day before, or for 10 minutes in the microwave on the defrost setting. Then squeeze it firmly, a handful at a time, over the sink to remove as much water as possible: this is the key step for crisp pastry.
2. Slice the spring onions, both white and green parts, and chop the dill. Fry the onions in the olive oil over a medium heat for 3 minutes, add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, to evaporate any remaining moisture. Leave to cool slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. In the bowl, beat the eggs, then add the ricotta, the feta crumbled with your fingertips, the dill and the cooled spinach. Season with nutmeg and pepper, and add very little salt: the feta is already salty.
4. Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Keep the brick pastry sheets under a damp tea towel so they don't dry out. Brush the tin with butter, then lay in 6 sheets, overlapping them to cover the base, buttering each one and letting the edges hang over the sides.
5. Pour in the filling and spread it in an even layer. Fold the overhanging pastry edges back over the filling, then cover with the remaining 4 sheets, buttered and lightly scrunched, tucking their edges down against the side of the tin.
6. Brush the top with the rest of the butter. Score 8 portions with the tip of a knife, without cutting all the way through: pre-cutting stops the crisp pastry from crumbling when you serve.
7. Bake for 35 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven, until the top is golden and crisp and the filling has set: a knife inserted in the centre should come out with no liquid. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before cutting, to give the filling time to firm up.