Traditional Greek spinach & Feta cheese pie

Ingredients

For the filo pastry:

  • 750 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ water glass lukewarm water
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ wine glass olive oil

For the filling:

  • 1 kg spinach
  • 3 leeks
  • 4-5 thin spring onions
  • 1 bunch of dill
  • 350 g DODONI Feta cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Process

  1. Sift the flour in a large bowl. Add salt. Make a well in the centre, add the olive oil and vinegar and mix softly.
  2. Add the water in batches and continue to knead until dough is elastic, soft, and doesn’t stick to your hands. If it’s sticky, add some more flour. If it’s too firm, add a little water.
  3. When ready, cover with a towel and let rest for half an hour.
  4. While the dough rests, prepare the filling.
  5. First wash the spinach, drain it in a colander, chop it finely and put it in a bowl. Alternately you may buy washed and ready to use spinach.
  6. Finely chop the leeks and spring onions and add them to the spinach along with salt.
  7. Rub them to wither. Squeeze them to drain off as much excess water.
  8. Place them back in the bowl and sprinkle with half the olive oil.
  9. Crumble the Feta and mix well.
  10. If needed, add some more salt and pepper.
  11. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and form 4 dough balls.
  12. Sprinkle some flour on a dry surface.
  13. Place one dough ball on top and pound down. Sprinkle with some more flour and start to roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
  14. Turn the dough upside down every two moves, sprinkle with flour, and continue rolling until the dough is completely flat and the size of the baking tray.
  15. Grease a large, about 40 cm, baking tray and place the filo sheet inside.
  16. Brush it with oil. Repeat for the second dough ball.
  17. Add the second filo sheet on top and brush it with oil as well.
  18. Next, add the filling.
  19. Repeat the rolling process for the two remaining dough balls.
  20. Place them on top and brush with oil once again.
  21. If the filo sheets are longer than the backing tray, fold their edges inwards.
  22. Score the top of the pie first diagonally and then horizontally to create square pieces.
  23. Pour over the rest of the oil and sprinkle a little water with your fingers.
  24. Bake in a well preheated oven at 180 oC for about 1 hour until golden brown.
  25. Let sit for one hour after it’s done for the filling to firm up before serving.