Spinach Recipe with Kinda Greek Salad

This Greek favourite would have to be one of my all time favourite pies.  Usually I make it as a pie but this time as an open pie for lunch.  I made it with filo pastry and served it with a kinda Greek Salad (forgot the olives), perfect Summer food for when it's hot.

Phyllo, filo, or fillo dough (from Greek: φύλλο filo 'leaf'^[1]) is paper-thin sheets of unleavened flour dough used for making pastries in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine.  It's readily available in the refrigerated section of our supermarkets so hoping it is in yours too.  Otherwise it could be in the frozen section or try a good deli that sells Greek products.

This day was particularly hot, we'd just got home from an overnight stay at my sisters place (she has a pool so enjoyed some swimming) and I was craving the fetta, spinach combo.  I raced down to the supermarket, picked up all the ingredients and made it in between salesman knocking at the door, the phone ringing and girls asking where makeup and hairbrushes are...it didn't disappoint.

By the way, do you get many people knocking on your door wanting to sell you things?  We do and it drives me crazy..thinking about putting one of those "No Hawkers" signs up at the front door!!!

Back to the pie..this is another fresh, fast and simple recipe from Donna Hay's cookbook of the same name.  I swear I'm going to cook my way through that book this summer.  All you do is preheat your oven to 180C (350F).  Brush six sheets of filo pastry with melted butter and place one on top of the other.  Place on a baking sheet lined with non stick paper.

Thaw 250g packet frozen spinach and squeeze out excess liquid.  Place in a bowl with 500g ricotta, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup (25g) finely grated parmesan, 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves, salt and pepper.  Mix to combine.  Spread the mixture on top of the pastry leaving a 5cm border, then fold border over and brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with 100g cubed feta.  Place in oven for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling set.  Serves 4.

The Kinda Greek Salad is quick to make..Cut cucumber and capsicum into chunks and place in a bowl. Add half a finely sliced red onion and halved cherry tomatoes (small variety of tomato).  Mix together.  Top with some chopped greek feta cheese and dress with some extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar whisked together.

Finish with some watermelon slices or cut into cute little hearts like this!

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Catherine xx