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SPINACH AND CHEESE PIE

INGREDIENTS

  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • 150-200g butter at room temperature
  • 1 teacup cold water
  • 1 kg all-purpose flour
  • 1 teacup olive oil
  • 1tsp salt
  • FOR THE FILLING
  • 500g EPIROS Feta PDO cheese, crumbled
  • 1 ½ kg fresh spinach
  • 1 bunch dill, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch mint, finely chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 espresso cups semolina
  • Salt & black pepper
  • FOR REALLY CRUNCHY PASTRY:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 espresso cup olive oil
  • 1 espresso cup milk
  • 1 espresso cup cold water

EXECUTION

Sift the flour into a bowl, add water, olive oil and salt. Knead into a springy, flexible dough. Add more flour if necessary. Split the dough into two pieces and shape into two balls.  Flour the counter top and, using a rolling pin, roll out the first ball into a large, almost round sheet; using your finger spread some EPIROS butter onto it.

Mentally split the sheet into four; pick up one of the fourths and fold it into the rest of the dough, do the same with the opposite fourth and then the remaining two fourths, buttering the top sides every time.

Place the sheet onto a floured plate and repeat the procedure with the second ball of dough. Refrigerate the two sheets of pastry for at least 3 hours.

Wash spinach well, cutting off the roots and hard stems. Chop finely and let it strain in a sieve. Squeeze and press to remove any remaining water and move into a bowl, adding the finely chopped onions, dill and mint. Add the eggs, lightly beaten, the EPIROS Feta PDO cheese and the semolina. Add salt & pepper to taste and mix well.

Using the rolling pin again roll out the first sheet of pastry and place it on the bottom of a well-greased baking tin making sure to also cover the sides. Pour the filling onto the pastry. Roll out the second sheet of pastry, slightly bigger and cover the mix with the dough, twist it into a rope and place it around the edge of the pie. Oil the surface of the pie and bake in a pre-heated oven – 180-200°C – for 20 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and using a knife lightly cut only into the top pastry sheet, horizontally and vertically, forming squares. Beat the egg, milk, olive oil and water together and pour over the top. Continue baking until the top is golden. Serve it hot or just warm.