Expert Opinion

Recipe: Spinach, leek, ricotta and feta pie

23 Mar
This deliciously light pie is perfect for the cooler autumn months, and is a great kinder lunch box meal to replace the daily sandwich.

Filled with spinach, fresh herbs and a mixture of cheese, this Greek-style pie will be sure to fill the hungriest of little tummies (and a good way to get some greens in)!

A good tip – I love making this recipe the day before so we have quick meals prepped when you inevitably find yourself running around with a hungry toddler.

I encourage you to improvise with this recipe with whatever you have in your refrigerator and pantry. Substituting and exploring your way through a variety of wholefoods will help pique your families interest in mealtime. 
Spinach, leek, ricotta and feta pie (Spanakopita)

Serves 4-6 people 

  • 1 x 375g packet frozen filo pastry 
  • 1 leek, chopped, washed
  • 1 bunch spinach, washed, chopped
  • 4 spring onions, chopped
  • 500g ricotta
  • 80g feta
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 gherkins, chopped 
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dil,l chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • Sea salt and cracked pepper

Heat oven to 180C.

Place pastry in refrigerator 2 hours before you’re ready to use it.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large fry pan. Cook the leek over medium heat for 5 minutes before adding in the spring onions and spinach. Cook with lid on for a further 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Set aside to cool. 

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add spinach mixture, stirring to combine.

Lay one sheet of filo pastry at a time into a rectangular baking dish. Brush the filo pastry with melted butter or olive oil between each layer. Repeat with another 9 sheets. 

Pour in well combined cheese and spinach filling. Fold in all sides of the pastry to encase the filling. Add another 2-3 sheets of pastry to the top of the pie to encase the filling completely, brushing each sheet with butter or olive oil as you go. Brush the top with butter.

Place in the oven for one hour. 

Serve warm with a Greek salad or slice into small portions for a great lunch box sized meal. 

About the author

A beautiful visual content creator, Amie is also an Author of two children’s recipe books, Baby Pip Eats & Little Pip Eats, and also holds a B.Sc. in Food Science and Nutrition. Amie has over 15 years of experience as a food technologist for some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies and has also worked as a freelance food stylist and recipe writer for magazines, including the Australian Women’s Weekly, Gourmet Traveller and Good Taste
A career highlight for Amie was having the ability to use her varied talents internationally, working as a Food consultant in the USA with food retailers; WholeFoods, Trader Joes and Giant Eagle. On large scale labelling system implementation in accordance with the FDA and USDA regulation nutrition updates for 2020.
More recently, Amie has been involved in managing multiple small and large corporate food projects with more of an ethical purpose, including; Patagonia Provisions range, Cobram Estate, and a small Indigenous food based social enterprise start up.
Amie continues to use her Instagram feed as a means to inspire families to plate up healthy, economical and simple seasonal fare that everyone can enjoy.