TODAY’S RECIPE: Nettle spanakopita

YOUNG nettles are a great alternative to spinach. SERVES 6.

Ingredients

150g nettle leaves 100g butter, 25g solid, 75g melted 200g feta, crumbled 50g Parmesan, finely grated 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 egg, beaten Grated nutmeg 7 sheets filo pastry 1 tbsp sesame seeds Green salad, to serve

Method

1 Wearing gloves, wash nettles but don’t drain too much. Heat solid butter in a pan. When sizzling and nutty brown, add nettles and cook for six minutes until wilted. Leave to cool.

2 In a tea towel, squeeze all the liquid from nettles, then chop and tip into a bowl. Add feta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, about twothirds of the egg and some nutmeg, and season. Filling should be loose, not sloppy.

3 Heat oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Lay three filo sheets end-to-end, overlapping by about 5cm. Brush with melted butter, top with three more sheets, brush with more butter and add final sheet to the middle. Spoon nettle mix along one long edge, about 2cm wide, and tuck over the short ends to stop filling coming out. Roll pastry into a sausage, then into a spiral about 20cm wide. Put spanakopita in a shallow round pan or buttered baking tray.

4 Brush with remaining egg and scatter with sesame seeds. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool until warm, then serve in slices with a peppery salad.