Wild Greens Spanakopita is a modern Fusion recipe (based on a Cypriot original) for a classic pie of wild greens and feta cheese baked in a filo (phyllo) pastry crust. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Wild Greens Spanakopita.
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This is based on a springtime dish from Cyprus but it can be made from early spring through early autumn, just vary the greens depending on what's seasonally available. Creeping bellflower leaves (the larger basal leaves) are good for bulk as they don't really wilt down on cooking.
Ingredients:
250g (about) fresh greens (eg spinach, kale, chard, creeping bellflower, ground elder, plantain, fresh mint or other herbs)
1 shallot, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
90g feta cheese, crumbled
Olive oil, melted butter or a combination, for drizzling and brushing
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
6 sheets filo pastry, thawed
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C.
Tear your greens into a large bowl, add the shallot, garlic and feta, drizzle generously with oil (or even melted butter), season with salt and pepper and scrunch with your hands to combine everything. Coat it with oil and scrunch everything together to break the greens down.
Lay a sheet of phyllo in the base a baking dish (or deep pie plate) that's about 22cm in diameter (or a similar volume), letting the excess dough hang over the edges.
Brush the bottom (and some of the sides, if you like) with oil and/or melted butter and place another sheet on top, at a different angle so that the sides overhang an exposed part of the pan.
Brush with butter or oil and top with a third piece of phyllo, brushing that, too.
Pile the scrunched greens onto the file, then fold over the sides that are hanging over the edge of the pan. Scrunch three more sheets of filo and place them on top, covering any exposed filling, and brush or drizzle with more oil or butter.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the pie is heated through.
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