Best ever low carb spanikopita (Greek spinach pie parcels)
The alternative to filo pastry is crisp and the filling is authentic. Spanikopita are a Greek dish invented in 1944, thanks for that Google! The instructions look long winded but if you watch the video you'll see it's really straightforward.
Equipment
- electric hand whisk
- baking paper do not use greaseproof or they'll stick.
Ingredients
Filling ingredients
- 200 g frozen chopped spinach
- 200 g Greek feta crumbled
- 15 g grated parmesan
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp grated fresh nutmeg
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- salt and pepper
Low carb 'pastry' ingredients
- 90 g ground almonds
- 15 g psyllium husk powder
- 2 egg whites
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp cider vinegar
- 125 ml boiling water
Instructions
- Put the spinach into a medium size saucepan, cover and cook until soft.
- Using a wooden spoon, move the spinach to one side of the pan, tipping it slightly and squeezing all the water out. Discard the water.
- Add the other ingredients.
- Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the ingredients are well combined. Leave to cool.
- Preheat a baking sheet in the oven on 200℃ fan or gas mark 7.
- In a bowl place the ground almonds, psyllium husk powder, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- Combine the cider vinegar with the boiling water.
- Pour the egg whites into the dry mix.
- Then pour the cider vinegar/boiling water into the bowl and whisk until the mixture thickens and starts to rise up the whisk paddles.
- Using a spatula, scrape down the bowl and divide the mixture into 3 equal portions.
- Cut 6 sheets of baking paper, approx. 40cm each.
- On a single sheet of baking paper place one portion of 'pastry dough'.
- Put a second sheet of baking paper on top and roll into a rough rectangle thinly to approx. 3mm.
- With both sheets in place, put in the oven for 5 minutes.
- When cooked cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat the process for the other 2 portions.
- To construct the parcels, carefully remove the top sheet from the 'pastry'.
- Cut in half down the length. And carefully peel each half off the paper.
- Don't worry if there are holes in the 'pastry'.
- Divide the filling mixture into 6.
- Put one filling portion at the bottom of a strip of 'pastry' and flip over a few times to form a triangle. (watch video for the technique)
- Brush with olive oil and place on one of the used baking paper sheets on a baking tray.
- Repeat for all 6 parcels.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Cook for 25 minutes or until crisp.
