SPINACH AND CURD PIE

Nutritious greens combined with gooey, cheesy curd and wrapped in papery filo pastry may not be anything new but it is utterly delicious all the same.

Serves 6

Olive oil for cooking and greasing

1 onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

250g spinach leaves

1 tsp dill leaves (optional)

1 egg

250g fresh curd or ricotta

50g grated parmesan cheese

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

4-6 sheets filo pastry (each roughly 38cm x 30cm)

Method

Heat a little oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion and garlic for 10 minutes without colouring.  Add the spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring. Tip into a sieve and press to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Cool.

Beat the egg with the curd and nutmeg and season; add the curds and parmesan along with the spinach and onion. Season lightly with salt but add plenty of freshly ground pepper.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Grease a 20cm loose-based cake tin with a little oil.

Line the cake tin with the filo sheets, drizzling a little oil over the filo to help stick the layers together and to assist with the crispy texture. Lay the excess pastry over the edge of the tin and spoon the cheese and spinach mixture into the tin. Bring the pastry up and over the top of the pie. Brush generously with oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm or cold.