The Ultimate Spanakopita

Buy or find
Silverbeet, 2 bunches, washed and stems removed
Eggs, 6, lightly beaten
Feta cheese, 250g, crumbled
Ricotta cheese, 250g
Dill leaves, 1 cup, chopped
Spring onions, 6, topped and tailed and chopped
Nutmeg, 1 tsp
Salted butter, 100g (or unsalted if you would like to reduce the salt)
Olive oil, 150ml
Filo pastry, 375g packet
Soda water, 150ml

Do
Preheat the oven to 190 c (fan-forced).

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.

Add the silverbeet to the saucepan and blanch the leaves in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then squeeze the excess water out and roughly chop.

Place the silverbeet in a large bowl. Add the eggs, feta, ricotta, dill, spring onion and nutmeg and stir well to combine. Set aside.

Brush a 28cm x 18cm baking dish with the melted butter mixture.

Brush a sheet of filo with the butter mixture and place in the baking dish. Repeat with another 6-8 sheets of filo.

Spread (evenly) the spinach mixture over the filo pastry base.

Add another 8-10 sheets over the filling, brushing each sheet with the butter mixture.

Gather the edges of the filo, crimping as you go around the dish.

Cut the pie, all the way through to the baking dish, into equal size squares.

Place the pie in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and pour (evenly) the soda water over the top of the pie.

Return the pie to the oven. Turn the temperature down to 150 c fan-forced.

Cook for another 20-40 minutes or until the pie has puffed up and the pastry is golden but not burnt. Keep an eye of the pie while it is cooking to ensure that it doesn’t overcook and burn.