Spinach, Feta and Egg Filo Tart

I love using filo pastry in my cooking – it’s so satisfyingly crunchy, which means
it acts as a brilliant base for tarts like this one. Pastry is yet another one of those things that people swear off because it’s ‘bad’ for them. But in the context of a healthy diet, I’m a firm believer that there’s room for all the foods you love – and
I love this filo tart. Loaded with vegetables and topped with eggs, feta and pesto, this is just one combination that works. Feel free to get creative and try it with other ingredients, like tomatoes and mozzarella, or butternut squash and goats’ cheese. The filo world is your oyster.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Hungry Caroline Hanna

• ½ tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms, finely sliced

• 100 g (3½ oz) spinach leaves

• 20 g (¾ oz) butter, melted

• 275 g (9 oz) filo pastry (about 7 sheets)

• 4 eggs

• 65 g (2½ oz) feta

• 25 g (1 oz) green pesto

• salt and pepper
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion and mushrooms, sautéing for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt for a couple of minutes, cooking for a little longer to help evaporate some of the water it will release, then season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.

2. Brush a large baking sheet with butter then start to arrange your pastry. Place the first filo sheet directly on the baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Arrange the next filo sheet on top, overlapping it clockwise on the first sheet. Repeat with the remaining butter and filo, aiming for equal overlap, until all the sheets have been positioned to form the tart base.

3. Place the cooked vegetables in the centre of the pastry sheets in a rough disc, about 18–20 cm (7–8 inches) in diameter. Use the back of a spoon to create 4 little indentations in the vegetables, and crack in your eggs.

4. Finish by crumbling over the feta cheese, and dolloping the pesto all over the top. Now scrunch the edges of the pastry inwards to create the crust of your tart, rolling the pastry over slightly and brushing with a little more melted butter to help it maintain its shape.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C, 170°C fan (375°F), Gas Mark 5, for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is turning golden and the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before slicing up and enjoying. It can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and is also good cold.

Hungry by Caroline Hanna, Hamlyn Photo: : Daniel Jones, Max Robinson, Christina Mackenzie

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