Light and delicious. Try our take on a spanakopita.

TOTAL TIME 1 hour 45 minutes (+ standing) | MAKES 6 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 kg swiss chard
  • 350 g curly kale 
  • 400 g greek feta, crumbled 
  • 10 spring onions, chopped finely 
  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill 
  • ¾ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 
  • 3 eggs, beaten lightly 
  • 80 g butter, melted 
  • 2 x 375 g packets phyllo pastry 
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds 
  • Lemon wedges, to serve 

METHOD

PREHEAT oven to 180°C.

TRIM 4cm off the stalk ends of the Swiss chard and kale; discard. Rinse and drain greens, leaving some water clinging. Tear kale leaves from the centre stem. Cut white stalk from silver beet leaves, cutting into the leaf in a V-shape. Finely chop stems and leaves from greens, keeping them separate. 

HEAT a pan over high heat; cook stems, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened. Drain well; transfer to a bowl. Add chopped leaves to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until wilted. Drain well; add to bowl with stems. When cool enough to handle, squeeze excess water from greens mixture (this prevents pies from becoming soggy). 

COMBINE greens, feta, spring onion, herbs, rind, juice and egg in a large bowl; season with pepper. 

BUTTER six 18cm round, 3cm deep, 2-cup (500 ml) pie dishes. Butter half a sheet of pastry, fold in half to make a smaller rectangle; butter top. Place in dish, allowing pastry to overhang edge. Keep remaining sheets covered with baking paper topped with a clean, damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Repeat with two more sheets of pastry, stacking them in the dish. You will now have six layers. Place a sixth of the filling into the dish. Brush half a sheet of pastry with melted butter, fold in half crossways, brush with butter, fold in half again; trim to fit the top of the pie. Place over filling, then fold in and scrunch the overhanging pastry. Brush top of pie with a little more melted butter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat to make six pies. 

SPRINKLE a little water over each pie; this will prevent the pastry from burning. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. 

SERVE spanakopitas with lemon wedges

Written for Food&Home

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