Yia Yia Mary’s Filo Pastry

• In a bowl place the flour and salt and mix together
• In a jug add the water, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and combine.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and then add the liquid mixture.
• With your hands combine the mixture until it becomes a dough.
• Roll the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rest for 20 mins.
• Separate the mixture into 2 even pieces.
• Place the first piece on a bench and sprinkle with a little flour. Begin to spread the pastry out flat with your hands as much as you can.
• Then using a rolling pin, roll into a thin layer about 5mm thick. If the pastry starts to stick to the rolling pin turn the pastry over, sprinkle with a little more flour and roll again.
• Repeat this process until you have a thin layer/sheet of pastry.
• Repeat this process for the remaining second piece.
• Keep the pastry covered with a damp cloth whilst preparing the filling.

Spinach Filling

• Remove the stalks from the spinach and wash the leaves well.
• Using your hands, break the spinach into large pieces.
• Place the spinach into a bowl and sprinkle with salt, mix and set aside for 10 mins.This helps to draw excess water out of the spinach leaves.
• Squeeze the spinach as hard as you can to remove excess water and place in a bowl. Discard the excess water.
• Add shallots, dill, mint, parsley and mix well.
• Crumble the feta over the mixture and combine.
• Add the eggs, olive oil and combine.
• Add the flour and mix together well.
• Season with pepper. Keep in mind the feta is already salty so you may not need more salt.

Vegetable Garnish and Assembly

• Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the sweet potatoes and zucchini lengthways as thinly as possible.
• To soften the sweet potato, roast them in an 180C oven for 10 minutes. Alternatively put the sweet potato in a bowl with 2 tsp water, cover with cling film and cook in a microwave on high for 2 mins, then remove and leave to cool.
• Blanch the zucchini by covering with boiling water and leaving to sit for two minute until softened. Drain and set aside.
• Remove the central stalk of the kale, cutting the rest into thin strips.
• Preheat oven to 180C fan forced.
• Grease a large round 30cm baking dish and then lay flat the first piece of the pastry. Trim the pastry to fit into the baking dish.
• Spread the spinach filling evenly across the filo pastry base.
• Drain any liquid from all the vegetables, pat dry on kitchen paper and then season well.
• Stack a slice of sweet potato, zucchini, kale and a strip from the remaining piece of pastry on top of each other then, starting from one end, roll into a spiral. Put in the middle of the tart.
• Layer up another pastry and vegetable stack, then wrap these around the spiralled veg in the centre. Continue until the tart is full and you have created a rose effect. Brush the tart with olive oil.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the filling has set.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool for ½ an hour before cutting to allow the spanakopita to settle. Serve warm or cold.