Recipe: Easy spinach pie

You may remember that I had that batch of silver beet that I'd harvested from the garden but didn't know what to make  with it yet? Well, I had a hankering for spanakopita, but no real desire to spend ages fussing about with layers of filo and butter and the layers of work involved.

So I found a faster recipe, but since it is so far away from a traditional greek spanakopita recipe, I can't bring myself to call it that. Instead, I'll call it what it is - an easy, cheaty spinach pie, which worked out perfectly edible and is definitely on my 'will make again' list, especially as it was toddler approved.

Here's what to do:

Easy Cheats Spinach Pie
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Ingredients

• 1 bunch silver beet (or spinach type equivalent)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup rice, cooked
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 packet silken tofu (or if you eat them, use 2 eggs)
• half a packet of feta, cubed
• good handful of cheddar cheese, grated
• nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
• poppy seeds for garnishing (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C 
2. Wash silver beet and chop into small pieces, removing the stems (you can keep these for adding into soups or for making stock)
3. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Really get in there and make sure the tofu/egg is well broken up and mixed in to help things bind together
4. Grease a baking dish and place one layer of puff pastry on the bottom
5. Tip your spinach mixture into the dish, level it and spread it out to the edges
6. Place the second piece of puff pastry on top. You can brush it with egg or milk or a little olive oil to help it brown. I also sprinkled some poppy seeds on top because I'm fancy like that
7. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until the pastry is lovely, golden, puffy and smelling delicious
8. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving

Notes

• All cheese used was microbial rennet cheese. I don't think brands matter. I also don't think quantities matter as some people like lots of cheese. Do it to taste! You could also add ricotta, but I didn't have any as this was a spur of the moment dish
• After setting in the fridge overnight I think it tasted even better the next day when all the flavours had really melded together!

Do you make spinach pie? What's your favourite Greek dish?