Spanakopita with roasted potatoes and dill

Serves - 4 to 6

You’ll need

• 1kg potatoes, cut into chunky roast-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

For the spanakopita
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g spinach
• 200g feta, crumbled
• 250g ricotta
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Small handful dill, finely chopped
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 6 sheets filo pastry
• 75g butter, melted, or olive oil for brushing
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the potatoes started

Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Put the potatoes into a large pan of well-salted cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just starting to soften, then drain well and leave them to steam dry for a minute or two. Give them a little shake in the colander to rough up the edges. That uneven, scruffy surface is exactly what helps them roast up nicely.

2. Roast the potatoes

Tip the potatoes into a roasting tray with the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss well, then roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once or twice, until crisp and golden. Scatter over the chopped dill at the end and give them one last toss while they are still hot.

3. Start the spinach filling

While the potatoes roast, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant and smelling like things are heading in the right direction.

4. Wilt the spinach

Add the spinach in batches, stirring as it wilts down. Cook until all the spinach is softened, then let any excess moisture cook away for a minute or two. You want the filling rich and savoury, not watery enough to undo your good work later.

5. Make the filling properly

Take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool slightly. Stir in the feta, ricotta, beaten eggs, dill, parsley, lemon zest and a good grind of black pepper. Give it a mix and have a look. It should feel generous and well bound, not loose and sloshy. You should not need much, if any, extra salt because the feta is already doing plenty.

6. Build the spanakopita

Lightly grease a baking dish or pie dish. Lay in 1 sheet of filo and brush it lightly with melted butter or olive oil. Repeat with the remaining sheets, overlapping them slightly and letting any overhang drape over the sides. Do not worry if it looks a little untidy – filo is happier when you stop trying to make it behave too perfectly.

7. Fill and finish

Spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into the middle and spread it out evenly. Fold the overhanging filo back over the filling, then scrunch or layer the top a little so it looks nicely rustic rather than too flat and formal. Brush the top with a little more melted butter or oil.

8. Bake until golden

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and deeply golden and the filling is set. You want it bronzed and properly inviting, with plenty of crisp edges worth fighting over.

9. Let it settle

Leave the spanakopita to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the filling settle and makes it much easier to serve without the whole thing collapsing into an avoidable mess.

10. Serve

Serve the spanakopita in generous slices with the roasted potatoes alongside. Very good with a simple green salad or a spoonful of yoghurt if you want something cool and sharp on the side.

A couple of helpful notes

- If your spinach seems especially wet, press it lightly in a sieve before mixing it with the cheeses. Too much moisture is the quickest way to lose crisp pastry.
- Butter gives the filo a richer, deeper colour, but olive oil works perfectly well if you want to keep things a little lighter.
- This is just as good warm as it is at room temperature, which makes it useful for lunch the next day too.