Spanakopita Spiral
There is something magical about the combination of earthy greens, salty cheese and soft herbs - it makes me think of Mediterranean holidays and Turkish bakeries in East London.
This pie can be made all year round with whatever greens are in season. I make it in the winter with kale and chard, in the early spring with nettle tips and wild garlic but it is particularly delicious later in the spring with new season spinach. It was a highlight of our Bealtaine supper club in May 2022. The spiral shape looks amazing and when you slice it you get a lovely cross section of the spiral in each slice, plus the pastry inside the spiral is soft and unctuous and the pastry on top is crispy and flaky. A delicious contrast!
Spanakopita Spiral
Makes 1 large spanakopita – serves 8 with other dishes
1KG spinach, or other greens such as chard, seabeet, perpetual spinach or kale
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
400g feta, crumbled
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
20g mint, stalks removed and finely chopped
20g dill, tough stalks removed and finely chopped
1 large lemon, zest and half the juice juice
4 spring onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Black pepper and salt to taste
100-150g butter, melted (or use olive oil)
270g filo pastry (ideally 8 sheets, but often the packs only have 7, you can make do with 7 sheets if needed)
1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds (or a mixture of both)
1. Generously butter a 25cm (10 inch) cake tin with a removable base. I use a springform tin for easy release. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Prepare the greens by washing them well, they can be a bit gritty, and then removing any large stalks. If you are using kale discard the stalks if it’s spinach or chard finely chop the stalks to cook them with the onions. Roughly chop the rest of the leaves.
3. Heat half the olive oil in a large pan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the sliced red onion (and chopped stalks if using) with a pinch of salt and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes until completely soft. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Turn the heat up to high and cook for a minute of two, stirring the whole time to evaporate any liquid. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped greens with a splash of water, put the lid on and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until completely wilted. If all the greens do not fit in the pan do this in a couple of batches. Allow the greens to cool and then squeeze out any liquid, either with your hands or by pressing the greens against a sieve or colander.
5. Add the greens to the onions and mix well. Add the feta, eggs, herbs, lemon, spring onions and nutmeg. Season with black pepper and mix gently. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed.
6. Take a sheet of filo and with the long side facing you brush all over with melted butter. Add another sheet of filo on top. Then add dollops of the spinach mix (you should use about ¼ of the mix) along the long edge of the filo to form a sausage shape. Roll up the filo, brushing with butter as you go, to form a long cylinder. Coil this cylinder into a spiral and place in the middle of the prepared cake tin. Repeat with the rest of the filo and mixture adding to the spiral shape. Don’t worry if the filo splits a bit as you coil it, it won’t matter when the pie is baked. If the packet of filo only has 7 sheets, then double over the last sheet and make a shorter final roll. The spiral should fit snugly into the cake tin with a bit of room for expansion.
7. Butter the top of the pie and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. I like to serve it warm for maximum crispiness but it is also great served cold for a picnic or in lunch boxes.