Spinach & Feta Filo Pie (Zelyanitsa)

Name: Spinach & Feta Filo Pie (Zelyanitsa)
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 500-600 g filo dough sheets (typically 2 boxes for a medium-large pan); 500 g feta cheese or other white soft cheese; 1/2 tub soured cream or plain yoghurt; 500 g spinach, cooked, chopped and drained of liquid; 2 eggs; Milk (if needed for consistency); Olive oil or butter; 150 ml sparkling water; pastry brush; Salt to taste (none needed if feta cheese)

mk @thyme_traveller

Nomad

Also called spanakopita or boureka, this is a staple dish in the Balkans, Turkey and the Middle East, with every country ( and a cook!) having her / his own variation. I Like using feta cheese for its sharp taste and saltiness, but it can be made with any kind of soft white cheese, with or without spinach.

#vegetarian #spinachpie #spinach #feta #cheesepie #filodough #phyllo #prepandpack

mk @thyme_traveller

Nomad

#vegetarian #spinachpie #spinach #feta #cheesepie #filodough #phyllo #prepandpack

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Ingredients

500-600 gfilo dough sheets (typically 2 boxes for a medium-large pan)
500 gfeta cheese or other white soft cheese
1/2 tubsoured cream or plain yoghurt
500 gspinach, cooked, chopped and drained of liquid
2eggs
Milk (if needed for consistency)
Olive oil or butter
150 mlsparkling water
pastry brush
3 tbs oregano or herbs de provable or za’atar (can also mix, to taste)
Salt to taste (none needed if feta cheese)

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Steps

1

Flash boil spinach or defrost frozen spinach. Drain of liquid as much as possible, otherwise spanakopita will be soggy.
2

Crumble feta cheese and mix with soured cream or yoghurt, eggs and add more yoghurt or a bit of milk if needed, so it has a consistency that is easy to spread. Add spinach and spices and mix well. Set aside.
3

Prepare two bowls, one with olive oil or melted butter, one with sparkling water.
4

Open the pack of filo, making sure it's had a couple of hours to unfreeze if frozen, and lay it on a clean cloth. Moisten another kitchen cloth lightly and cover the filo, as it can dry out pretty quickly and become brittle..
5

Take a pan of medium thickness and grease well. This can be baked in pan of any shape, including a cake mould, just make sure the pan is not too deep (it will not cook through) or too shallow (not as tasty as it will have too little of the filling)
6

Set yourself on a workstation - there is an assembly line quality to this process, and the pie can be set pretty quickly.
7

Grease the pan well. Layer the bottom of the pan with a folded sheet. Grease fully with pastry brush. Repeat the process until 3-4 layers have been laid - this is to prevent soggy bottom and to hold the filling.
8

Several spoons of filling and spread around. Cover with another layer of dough, and lightly sprinkle sparkling water with your fingers on top of it. Follow by another layer of filo, grease the filo and then add another layer of filling. Repeat.
9

When done, add extra layers on top - I usually put 2-3 sheets and grease them all in between. Pierce the pie with fork in multiple places to aid baking and cover the baking pan with aluminum foil.
10

Pre-heat over to 200C. Put the pie in the middle of the over, fan on, and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes,depending on strength of the oven. Once the edges start to brown, remove the aluminum foil and let the top layer brown and become crispy.
11

Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 15-20 minutes to set.
12

Cut in pieces and serve with salad or soup or as an appetiser on its own. It also makes a great breakfast food. Enjoy!
13

Refrigerates well and can be a great snack for several days.

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Cooksnaps

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mk @thyme_traveller

on April 05, 2019 18:54

Nomad

For me food is equal to love. I left home when I was 17 and haven't stopped travelling since. Food is a huge part in how I experience different cultures and connect with others.I love experimenting with different ingredients and spices, and I particularly love a challenge creating a healthy version of more traditional recipes.#healthy #paleo #glutenfree #vegetarian #vegan #pescaterian #whole30 #cleaneating #realfood #organic #easyrecipes #homecooking