Mediterranean Beef Filo Pie Kimadopita’

Prepare Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel and small dice ³⁄₄ of the onion (you will have left over). Peel and mince garlic. Roughly chop mushrooms. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds (discard), and grate.

Prepare Filling:

Heat oil (enough to cover the base) in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking 2 - 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened slightly. Add the beef mince, mushroom, zucchini and all spice. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the mince apart with a spoon, about 8 minutes, until veg is tender.

Prepare Pastry:

Melt butter in microwave for 10 second intervals. Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of paper towel to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and carefully brush with some melted butter. Drape butter-side down in a 22 cm loose bottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush melted butter on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round.

Finish & Bake Pie:

Repeat to roughly have 5 layers of pastry. Add cheese to the filling, then spoon into the tin. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up making sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more melted butter. Sprinkle over black sesame seeds. Place pie on a baking tray and add to the oven. Cook for about 25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Prepare Salad:

While the pie is in the oven; in a bowl combine baby spinach and pinenuts with a drizzle of olive oil to dress. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.

Bake Pie:

Carefully remove pie from the cake tin and slice into wedges. Serve straight away with spinach and pinenut salad on the side. Enjoy!