Spinach, Ricotta and Feta Filo Pastry

I know its been a few weeks since my last post. I found myself up a creek with no paddle. One thing after another just kept happening and I couldn't get enough time, energy or motivation to do another thing other than the very necessary.

And if I could tell you I have been working on a cook book, considering work for a photographic exhibition, designing a new web page, playing nurse to my daughter, would you believe me and forgive my tardiness?

So autumn is finally here! Spectacular coloured leaves, harvest festivals, cooler weather and the inevitable rain! Yet temperatures haven't reduced that much; it was the hottest April in over 20 years but still we see the leaves colouring up - there's no stopping them now and soon we will roar into winter, pull out our jackets and scarves and turn to comfort food.

But with the higher temperatures I couldn't think about thick soups and tasty casseroles just yet. It's the in between food time. Something hot but light and finished with salad.

SPINACH, RICOTTA AND FETA FILO

Ingredients

65g  butter

1/2 onion finely chopped

3 spring onions finely chopped

375g ricotta cheese

180g feta cheese

3 free range eggs

a large bunch of English spinach, washed, chopped, stalks removed 

salt and pepper

zest of a lemon
few sprigs of oregano, chopped

8 large sheets of Filo pastry

1tsp of sesame seeds

• Pre heat oven to 200º/375F. Butter an oven proof square dish and set aside.
• Melt a knob of the butter into a fry pan and add the finely chopped onions and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until soft. Add the spinach, salt and pepper and only cook until the spinach has wilted. Set side to cool. Once they have cooled strain out all the liquid.
• In a clean bowl mix together ricotta cheese, feta cheese, lemon zest and a little chopped oregano.
• Lightly beat the eggs and mix into the cheese mixture. Once the spinach and onions have cooled off, mix them into the cheese. 
• Take a sheet of filo pastry, brush with melted butter, cover with another sheet and brush with butter. 
• Place these two sheets into your dish with the edges hanging over the sides.
• Repeat this 4 times using up all the pastry.
• Add the cheese and spinach mixture, packing it into the edges and smoothing the top.
• Fold the sides over completely encasing the filling and brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
• Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds. With a sharp knife cut the pastry diagonally into serving sizes.
• Bake in the oven for 25 -30 minutes until the top is crispy and brown.