CLASSIC TWIST

CHICKEN SPANAKOPITA PIE

This cheesy Greek spinach pie has added chicken for a super-filling meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large brown onion, thinly sliced 700g chicken breast fillets, diced into 2cm pieces

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp fennel seeds

200g baby spinach

600g fresh ricotta, crumbled

150g fetta, crumbled

3 eggs, lightly beaten

⅓ cup sour cream

2 tsp finely grated lemon rind, plus lemon wedges to serve ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano leaves ⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus extra to serve

14 sheets filo pastry

100g butter, melted

METHOD

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm round springform pan.

Step 2:

Heat oil in a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Add garlic and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add baby spinach. Stir until spinach just wilts. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl. Stand for 5 minutes to cool.

Step 3:

Add ricotta, fetta, egg, sour cream, lemon rind, oregano and parsley. Stir to combine. Season.

Step 4:

Place 1 sheet filo on a flat surface. Brush with butter. Carefully push filo into pan, butter-side down, to line base and side of pan, allowing filo to extend over edge of pan. Repeat layering with 11 filo sheets and butter in a clockwise pattern. Place chicken mixture in pan, pressing gently to compact. Fold in overhanging sides of filo, scrunching sheets to enclose filling. Scrunch up remaining filo and place on top of pie. Brush with remaining butter. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until top of pie is light golden.

Step 5:

Increase oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Bake pie for 10 to 15 minutes or until pastry is golden. Stand for 15 minutes. Release side of pan. Stand for 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve sprinkled with extra parsley and lemon wedges.