Spanakopitta

*does a little dance* the cable for the camera decided to work today! Which means.... I can finally post another recipe up! How about it?

For my birthday last month, one of my friends got me this recipe book that has aaaaall these fantastic vegetarian recipes, and I had heard about this infamous spanakopitta.

When I looked through all the recipes in the book, getting inspiration I found it - this bakes dish topped with puffed pastry and filled with the stuff for gods!

I had to half the amount of spinach as although it breaks down when it wilts, I still didn't have a big enough pot to fit ALL of the spinach. You can use a kilo of frozen spinach though, just make sure to squeeze out all the water before adding it to the pan with the onions!

Spanakopitta
(Serves 3)

500g fresh spinach (or use 1 kilo frozen for more generous portions)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (I used two red ones)
1/3 tsp cumin seeds
1/3 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper
A good squeeze of lemon or lime
2 eggs
50g pine nuts or roughly chopped cashews
100g feta, diced
200g ready made puff pastry (preferred the ready made stuff, I rolled it myself... using a wine bottle...)

- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.

- Start by having the spinach in a casserole to wilt, using frozen or fresh spinach doesn't matter, it will still be ridiculously nutritious! Stir occasionally.

- As that is doing its thing, heat the olive oil in alarge frying pan. Chop the onions, but add the herbs to the pan first and sizzle for a minute before tossing in the onionsto soften - about 5-10 minutes.

- Take the spinach of the heat and squeeze the excess water off, set aside.

- Now, add the spinach to the onions, mix until it is well combined, then take it off the heat. Squeeze in lemon juice, salt and pepper, and the two eggs.

- If you make it with 1 kilo spinach, layer half the spinach combination first,top with nuts and feta followed by another layer of the spinach, top with the puff pastry. If you are only making it with 500g spinach have all of it in one layer at the bottom, top with feta and cashews and then top directly with the puff pastry.

- Brush the surface with water, and place in the middle of the oven, bakefor approximately 25-30 minutes until the bae is set and the puff pastrylid is cooked through and puffed up.

- Cool slightly beforeserving, and this little Julie might just have burnt her mouth with sheer impatience, oops! It was delicious though, and I love any dish that has spinach in it!

Since last time, I have been on a long weekend trip to Belfast and caught up with a few friends and met THE most awesome dog ever! Sober October is still going strong and I powered through my journey with Bundaberg's ginger beer when I was away.

Oh, and don't leave me alone in the flat too long, this might happen...

Original source:
River Cottage's VEG Everyday, p. 54

- Jules