Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s spanakopita-inspired artichoke, green olive and spinach spiral filo pie

Name: Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s spanakopita-inspired artichoke, green olive and spinach spiral filo pie
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 bunch English spinach (about 350g), trimmed and washed well; ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra for seasoning; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing; 1 brown onion, halved and finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; ½ tsp baharat; large handful of mint, finely chopped; large handful of dill, finely chopped; large handful of parsley, finely chopped; large handful of coriander, finely chopped; 200g marinated artichokes, rinsed, patted dry and roughly chopped; 50g pitted green olives, roughly chopped; 40g pine nuts, toasted; zest of 1 lemon; ½ tsp sumac; pepper, to taste; 12 filo pastry sheets (about 40cm x 28cm a sheet; I like to use Antoniou Fillo Pastry); white sesame seeds, for sprinkling; lemon wedges, to serve

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

April 4, 2024

Julia’s tip: You can use baby spinach in the filling but English spinach has a far superior flavour.William Meppem

Inspired by spanakopita, this spiral filo pie is packed with spinach, herbs, artichokes and olives. It’s vibrant and zingy, thanks to the sumac and lemon zest, and has a gentle hum of spice. It also happens to be vegan, since it uses olive oil for brushing rather than butter.

I like the subtle, sweet nuttiness that pine nuts bring to the filling, but roughly chopped walnuts can be used instead. While baby spinach is a convenient option, English spinach has a far superior flavour and is my recommendation here.

Ingredients

1 bunch English spinach (about 350g), trimmed and washed well
½ tsp sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 brown onion, halved and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ tsp baharat
large handful of mint, finely chopped
large handful of dill, finely chopped
large handful of parsley, finely chopped
large handful of coriander, finely chopped
200g marinated artichokes, rinsed, patted dry and roughly chopped
50g pitted green olives, roughly chopped
40g pine nuts, toasted
zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp sumac
pepper, to taste
12 filo pastry sheets (about 40cm x 28cm a sheet; I like to use Antoniou Fillo Pastry)
white sesame seeds, for sprinkling
lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional) and line a 30cm round tray with baking paper.
Step 2
Place the spinach in a colander over a bowl and add the sea salt. Scrunch the salt into the spinach with your hands and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, roughly chop, then squeeze again. Place in a large bowl and set side.
Step 3
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the baharat and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring to coat. Allow to cool, then transfer to the bowl with the spinach.
Step 4
Add the remaining ingredients to the spinach, except for the pastry, sesame seeds and lemon wedges, and toss well to combine. Season to taste and set aside.
Step 5
Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a clean workbench, long side closest to you. Brush with olive oil and lay a second sheet over the top. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling along the long edge and roll the pastry into a cylinder, brushing the pastry with a little more olive oil as you roll it up. Roll the cylinder into a coil and place on the prepared tray.
Step 6
Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling, coiling each cylinder around the previous one to create a large spiral. Brush the large spiral with some more olive oil, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Serve with lemon wedges.