Spinach and Mince Meat Filo Pie

This pie is my version of the classic Greek pie - Spanakopita which is a basically a spinach and feta pie baked in filo sheets.

Knowing fully well how difficult it is to feed spinach (a vegetable they would otherwise never touch) to my kids I decided to add in a layer of minced meat to woo my little carnivores. Also a layer of potato roundels in between ensured that there were just no grounds for complaints to be found. And sure enough it was lapped up without a word.  

This pie is a complete meal in itself -hearty, comforting and really filling. The availability of ready made filo sheets nowadays in gourmet stores has indeed made life easier for the likes of us. (I got mine from Foodhall store in Gurgaon Central Mall on the MG road. I was thrilled to find that they even have ready to bake short crust pastry dough and springroll wrappers cutting down your laborious work  immensely). 

If you are a vegetarian, just leave out the mince meat. If desired, you can also cut the filo sheets into small triangles, and serve as appetizers. As this pie takes only about 20 25 minutes to bake, this makes a perfect snack for parties too.

Easy as a pie - this saying holds perfectly true for this delicious and filling spinach and mince meat pie.

Ingredients

500 gm spinach

500 gms lean lamb mince

1 pkt Maggi Bhuna Masala

200 gms crumbled cottage cheese

2 tbsp Mayonnaise

3-4 potatoes, cut into thin roundels

¼-1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/12 tsp dried oregano

50 gms mozzarella cheese, grated

1 medium egg

5 filo pastry sheets

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 8inch round springform cake tin

 

Method

Heat a little water in a large pan to a simmer, then add spinach (if necessary, bit by bit).

Stir, and then cook until wilted. Tip into a colander and keep aside to cool. Squeeze out as much water as you can and then chop roughly.

Wash the mince meat thoroughly with water.  In a pan add the mince with 1 pkt Bhuna Masala and stir fry for 15-20 till meat is tender. (or pressure cook with 1 cup water for 10-12 minutes, then open the lid and dry out the water completely and till the meat is fully cooked). 
Keep aside to cool.

Crumble the cottage cheese. Add the Mayonnaise. Season to taste.

Preheat oven to 200 C.

In a pan, sauté the potatoes till cooked.
To Assemble:

Brush one side of each  filo sheet with a little oil, then arrange oil side down in the springform cake tin. 
Lay the filo sheets one on top of the other. Make sure there are no gaps at the base or sides. Leave excess filo hanging over the edges.

Once you have layered the sheets, start layering the filling.

Take the potato roundels and lay them at the bottom of the pie.

Put a second layer of cooked spinach on top of the potatoes. 

Cover the spinach with a layer of crumbled cottage cheese. 

Now add in a layer of minced meat. 
Finally cover it a layer of mozzarella cheese. 
Press down gently to level the surface.

Cover the top of the filling with excess filo pastry.

Bake pie in oven for 20 – 25 minutes till slightly browned on the top.
Then unclip and remove the metal rim.
 Bake for further 10 minutes until the sides are golden.

Serve warm or at room temperature.