My friend Victoria found phyllo dough here in Nicaragua the other day. What a treat! She made Greek baklava with hers (yummmm), I wanted to go ‘off the beaten path’, so I made a spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie with this week’s harvest (I have some much spinach and tomatoes growing right now!).
Nervous to work with phyllo dough? Don’t be. It is pretty easy. Unroll the package, carefully drape it in and over a springform and make sure to brush melted butter (or olive oil) between every layer of phyllo dough. Now all there is left to do, is make the filling for this spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie which is pretty straight forward as well. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
How I make this spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie?
Making the spinach filling
I start by heating up a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, I add the chopped onion and garlic until it is softened. Then I add the spinach and wilt it. I also add half of the cherry tomatoes to get some of the moisture out and caramelize them a bit. I add some salt and pepper to it before I set it aside to cool off a bit.
When the mixture has cooled off a bit, I check if the spinach mixture is not too wet still. If so, I squeeze out most of it before I add it to the springform.
Making the egg mixture
I add the eggs, cheeses, milk and salt & pepper to a mixing bowl and whisk it together. I set it aside until the springform has been covered with phyllo dough.
Draping the phyllo dough in and over the springform
I use a springform (but a quiche form (with removable bottom) works as well). I grease the sides and bottom lightly with melted butter.
The phyllo dough I get here is rolled up into a tube. I open the package and unroll it gently. Then I lift the first sheet of the pile and carefully transfer it to the greased springform and drape it over the sides.
I brush this first sheet with melted butter and the following sheets as well. To make sure the springform is evenly ‘loaded’, I alter the position of each sheet. I use (only) 4 sheets from the package, I think that is enough. To create a thicker crust, you could add one more layer.
Filling the phyllo pie
I add the spinach mixture to the springform and pour the egg-cheese mixture over it. I divide the remaining cherry tomatoes over the pie.
Before sliding it into the oven, I fold back some of the phyllo sheets to create an artistic edge. I make sure the different sheets are separate from each other to get a crunchy, not too thick crust.
Baking the spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie
I bake the phyllo pie in a preheated oven (180C/360F) for 35-40 minutes until the egg mixture has just set. I check the pie after 30 minutes to see if the egg mixture has already set and the edges are not too dark already.
After I take the savory phyllo pie out of the oven, I let it cool for 5 minutes so the egg can set a bit more. Then I gently cut the pie into slices. When serving this for dinner, I make a big salad with it. So good!
We love this spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie. We hope you do too! It is
so easy to make – a flavor bomb – versatile and easily adjustable – an eye catcher – SO delicious!
Looking for other savory pie recipes? How about my homemade whole wheat pizzas? Here is a link to the whole wheat pizza dough and some of my favorites pizzas; eggplant parmesan pizza, caprese pizza, or this roasted balsamic cherry tomato and caramelized red onion spread pizza.
Spinach and cherry tomato phyllo pie
Equipment
- 1 24 inch springform (or quiche form)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium (red) onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 300 gr spinach leaves
- 250 gr cherry tomatoes (cut in half, lenghtwise)
- 5 eggs
- 100 ml milk
- 100 gr grated cheese (gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar, or other type of firm cheese)
- 100 gr feta cheese (cubed)
- 4-5 sheets phyllo dough
- 2-4 tbsp melted butter or olive oil (to brush the phyllo sheets with)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360F/180C. And grease the sides and bottom of a 24 inch springform (or quiche form) lightly with melted butter (or olive oil).
- Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic until it is softened.
- Add the spinach to wilt it. Then add half of the cherry tomatoes and stir to combine. Sprinkle salt and pepper on it and set it aside to cool off a bit.
- When the mixture has cooled off a bit, check if the spinach mixture is not too wet still. If so, squeeze out most of it.
- Add the eggs, cheeses, milk and salt & pepper to a mixing bowl and whisk it together.
- Open the package of phyllo dough and unroll it gently. Lift the first sheet of the pile, carefully transfer it to the greased springform and drape it over the sides.
- Brush the first sheet with melted butter and all following sheets as well.
- To make sure the springform is evenly 'loaded', alter the position/angle of each sheet. 4 sheets of phyllo dough are enough.
- Add the spinach mixture to the springform and pour the egg-cheese mixture over it. Divide the remaining cherry tomatoes over the pie.
- Fold back some of the phyllo sheets to create an artistic edge. Make sure the different sheets are separate from each other to get a crunchy, not too thick crust.
- Bake the phyllo pie for 35-40 minutes until the egg mixture has just set. Check the pie after 30 minutes to see if the egg mixture has already set and the crust edges are not too dark already.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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