Spinach and Feta Phyllo Crust Pie... OH MY!

So 2 of my dearest friends are in town this week so it was the perfect time to throw a long overdue dinner party in their honor. I've had this recipe bookmarked for awhile now but was waiting for the right moment to share this with some friends. If you haven't worked with phyllo pastry before, don't be scared. It does take some time to assemble but the end result is well worth it! Just remember to keep the dough covered so it stays moist and the sheets are super thin so be delicate and light when putting this pie together. The flavors of this dish remind me of the mediterranean and the addition of the lemon zest is a nice welcoming surprise. Ready? Here we go!

SPINACH & FETA PHYLLO CRUST PIE

Adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe, serves 6- 8 people.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

5 eggs

12 ounces of feta cheese (I used Trader Joe's Greek Feta in Brine which was a little under 12 oz)

2 ounces of white cheddar

dried oregano

1 lemon

olive oil

a pat of butter

1 pound of baby spinach, washed

salt and pepper

12 sheets of phyllo dough pastry (roughly 10 ounces) thawed completely

cayenne pepper

ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Crack 5 eggs into a mixing bowl and crumble in the feta cheese. 

3. Grate in 2 ounces of the white cheddar.

4. Add a pinch of pepper, a couple pinches of dried oregano, zest of 1 lemon, and a lug of olive oil. Then mix everything in the bowl together. 

5. Add nuts in last and stir until the egg mixture is mixed well.

6. Put an empty oven safe frying pan on medium- low heat, add a little olive oil and a pat of butter and pile in half the spinach.

7. Gently push and move it around, add more as it wilts down. Make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and when there's room, start adding the rest, stirring frequently.

8. Once the spinach is done cooking, turn off the heat. If there is a lot of excess water pour it out and transfer the spinach to another bowl and set aside.

9. Take the phyllo pastry out of the fridge. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper (bigger than the pastry sheet in size, approx 20 inches long) on a worktop, rub a little olive oil all over it, then scrunch it up and lay it out flat again.

10. Carefully arrange 4 sheets on top of each other forming a large rectangle so they cover the paper. Rub some olive oil over them. Sprinkle over a good pinch of salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne covering the sheet nicely. 

11. Repeat until you have 3 layers (12 sheets total). Don't worry about any cracked bits.

12. Mix the spinach into the egg mixture until throughly coated. Add in 4 dashes of ground nutmeg.

13. Carefully remove the phyllo from the parchment paper and place it into the frying pan so the edges spill over. Push it down the sides of the pan, then pour the egg mixture and spread it out evenly.

14. Fold the edges of the phyllo sheets over the top to seal everything in, let them fall where they will.

15. Turn on the heat to low and cook the pie for a couple minutes to cook the bottom slightly.

16. Place the pan into the oven on the top shelf and cook for about 18 - 20 minutes until the crust is nice and golden.

17. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before you slice into the pie. ENJOY!

Note: This is great with a salad on the side and a nice Riesling or spicy Malbec and makes the best leftovers :)!