BEET LEAF & PRESERVED LEMON SPANAKOPITA

SERVES 4-6 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 20-30 MINUTES

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

500g beetroot leaves or swiss chard

(or a mix of both), roughly chopped

½ cup roughly chopped fresh herbs

(we used dill, mint and parsley) juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons preserved lemon, finely chopped 150g cow’s milk feta

8 sheets filo pastry

100g butter, melted

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, beetroot leaves and herbs and cook for a further few minutes until soft. Remove the mixture from the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes before combining with the lemon juice, preserved lemon and feta.

Brush a cake tin or square baking tin with butter. Brush 1 sheet of filo with butter and place it in the base of the tin. Repeat the process with 3 more sheets.

Add the filling then top with 3 sheets of buttered, layered filo. Butter the remaining piece of filo and scrunch gently, then place on the top of the pie. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and crispy.

We’re very much in favour of following what the heart and stomach desires and giving an occasional twist to some of the much-loved classics.