Home Economics 

THIS WEEK IT’S ALL GREEK!   

Senior students learnt how to make mini coils of spinach pie. They did a wonderful job working with a super thin filo pastry. Some brands of filo pastry separate easily with cornflour added. If using the whole packet, cover the pastry with a clean damp cloth while preparing the food so the pastry does not dry out. You can make one big spiral or use sheets at a time to make a big pie. Adjust cooking time. You can also substitute ingredients if someone in the family is lactose, egg, or gluten free. 

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE)

Preheat oven: 180C.

Ingredients:

2 red onions halved and sliced.

1 spring onion finely chopped.

2 cloves of garlic, crushed.

1 packet filo pastry

500g spinach, washed and chopped.

Pinch of grated nutmeg

100g Feta cheese, crumbled.

50g Gouda or Parmesan cheese

2 eggs beaten.

1 -2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped.

1 good teaspoon of dried mint

Butter or oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions how to make:

1. Prepare filling: sauté onions in butter or oil until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook a few minutes. Add spinach in batches and cool until wilted. Cool, then tip into a bowl (leave behind any excess liquid from the spinach) and mix nutmeg, cheeses, eggs, spring onion and season. 

1. Brush a little oil or butter on filo sheet and add tablespoon of filling. Roll into sausage shape. Roll two sausage shapes around each other to form a coil, then transfer to the centre of a greased dish. Repeat and fill the dish with one large coil. Transfer to oven and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through cooking, until pastry is a light golden brown. If making individual coils bake for 15 to 20 minutes. 

This is one I tried out at home. If there are no allergies in your family, you can add some sesame seeds on top.

Upper juniors learned how to use filo pastry to make cheese triangles called Tiropita or cheese pie. 

Preheat oven: 180C.

Ingredients:

8 sheets of phyllo pastry

170g Feta cheese, crumbled. 

50g Gouda cheese, grated.

50g parmesan or Kefalograviera cheese

1 egg beaten.

1 quantity of thick Bechamel sauce 

Fresh mint or dill, chopped (optional)

Freshly ground pepper

Instruction: How to make: 

1. Prepare filling. Crush feta cheese into a large bowl and add the grated cheese, the egg, cold Bechamel sauce, and season with pepper. Mix well with a spoon to combine ingredients then add the chopped herbs. 
2. Spread one sheet of filo pastry onto a work area. Brush with small amount of melted butter or oil. Add one more sheet on top and repeat the process.                    

1. Cut sheet into three or four strips. At one end of strip, add one tablespoon of filling. Fold one corner to form a triangle and continue folding the triangle upon itself, until you use up all the pastry. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crispy.