Spanakopita Cheese Spinach Pie
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8
- 150g/5ozs. kohlrabi, peeled and cubed
- 70g/2.5ozs. baby spinach
- 150g/5ozs. tasty cheese, shredded
- 2 fat garlic cloves, peeled
- 30g/1oz. zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Dough (see recipe below), you can also use 2.5 sheets of frozen puff or shortcrust pastry
- 2 tablespoons pasta sauce (optional)
For dough:
- 275g/9.7ozs. plain or bread flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 150ml/5flozs. warm milk or water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Note: I normally double this recipe and make the filling and then either make 2 pies or freeze half of the filling and use it when I have pastry.
Step 1 - Make the dough by kneading the flour, sugar, milk or water, oil and salt together until elastic (around 5 mintues in a mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand). Cover and rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
Step 2 - Spray a 30cm/12inch round tin or pizza tray with oil and preheat oven to 200C/400F. Put a pot of water onto boil and add 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder. Add the kohlrabi pieces and cook until soft. Add the baby spinach leaves and cook for about 15 seconds until soft and then drain these and press out excess water. Process the spinach, kohlrabi, cheese, garlic, zucchini and salt until a paste forms.
Step 3 - Cut the dough into four pieces and roll out 2 rectangles around 40x30cms/16x12inches in size. Spread with the spinach and cheese paste leaving a small border to roll up at the end and roll up into a log sealing the ends. Start forming a coil in the centre of the tray and repeat with the remaining logs until you almost fill the tray. Brush with pasta sauce and bake for 30 minutes until golden and baked through. Cool and cut into slices.