Kataifi: A comforting Greek pie full of veggie goodness

Kataifi pie is far more forgiving to make than that comforting Greek favourite spanakopita – but no less delicious, says Lauren Taylor

The shredded filo dough crisps up beautifully when baked or fried (Kristin Perers/PA)

This pie is based on that comforting Greek favourite – spanakopita – although it is far more forgiving to make,” says Ravinder Bhogal.

“There is no buttering and layering of delicate filo pastry: instead, the iron-rich mixture of greens and cheese is blanketed under a nest of buttered kataifi pastry, a shredded filo dough that crisps up beautifully when baked or fried.

“You’ll find kataifi pastry in the fridge or freezer section of Middle Eastern grocers.”

Broccoli, kale and spinach kataifi pie

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, very finely crushed

200g kale, tough ribs removed and leaves roughly chopped

200g spinach

250g broccoli, boiled till tender and roughly chopped

4 eggs

60g pine nuts

60g currants, golden raisins or barberries

250g feta cheese

250g ricotta

Zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1

Handful of dill, roughly chopped

Handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

A good grating of nutmeg

150g sour cream

250g kataifi pastry

60g butter, melted

White sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

‘Comfort & Joy’ is Bhogal’s third cookbook (Bloomsbury)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over low-medium heat, add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes till sweet and caramelised. Add the garlic and fry again till fragrant, then add the kale and soften before adding the spinach. Once the greens are wilted, take off the heat and cool.

3. Transfer to a large bowl along with the broccoli and add the eggs, pine nuts, currants, feta, ricotta, lemon zest and juice, herbs, nutmeg and sour cream, and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

4. Pull apart the strands of kataifi pastry to loosen and fluff them up. Stir the butter through the kataifi, coating it well.

5. Pour the spinach and ricotta filling into a deep pie dish – I use a 34cm baking dish. Gently pile the kataifi over the pie filling, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is hot and set and the kataifi pastry is golden brown. Serve with a light salad.

Recipe from ‘Comfort & Joy: Irresistible Pleasures From A Vegetarian Kitchen’ by Ravinder Bhogal (Bloomsbury, £26).