Indian Spanakopitas. Greek Samosas.

This culinary invention is a little like a Greek spanakoptia being a phyllo pasty triangle stuffed with spinach and feta, and a little like an Indian samosa being full of curry powder and other spices.  Either way I reckon I have bridged the gap between health and deliciousness.

They are best served for a hot lunch, but then again they are pretty delicious cold in a packed lunch, and while I made big versions try making small ones for canapes.  Oh and wonderfully they are fine left (uncooked) in the fridge for a few days.

Ingredients

A packet of phyllo pastry, defrosted
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
300 g spinach or chard
A handful of sultanas
5 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped finely and keep the oil
2 eggs (free range), beaten
2 tbsp creme fraiche
150 g feta cheese, crumbled (low fat feta worked fine)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp medium curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
Salt and pepper
Sesame seeds

Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a deep frying pan over a moderate heat, add the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the spinach/chard, cut up into small pieces (especially any chard stalks) and the sultanas.  Stir and cook until the spinach/chard has wilted.

3. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the eggs, feta, creme fraiche, sundried tomatoes, spices and season to taste.

4. Wet a clean tea-towl and wring dry so it is 'damp' but not dripping wet.
5. Unfold the phyllo pastry and peel one sheet off, covering the master bundle with the damp tea-towel to prevent it drying out.
6. Cut the sheet into three, brush each strip with some oil from the sun dried tomatoes and layer up so you have three sheets on top of each other.

7. Turn the 3-layer sheets so they lie horizontally and imagine that it is divided into quarters vertically, with a little extra left on the far left hand side.
8. Dollop a small amount of your sauce on the third quarter (the first quarter is the one on the far left, and so on).

9. Pull up the phyllo pastry from the bottom of the forth quarter and use it to cover the filling.  Ensure you squish it down, but don't worry if some sauce seeps out.

10. Then fold the parcel down to the bottom of the second quarter.
11. Finish by folding the parcel to the left side of the final quarter, and then brush some oil on the extra piece of pastry and fold onto the parcel to seal the package.

12. Brush the parcel with oil, scatter with sesame seeds and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

13. Cook on a baking tray at 190C for 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.

Devour in healthy smugness...