Fennel and Spinach Filo Pies
(Marathopitakia)
Last week I managed to get hold of fennel leaves and I also learned a new English word: fronds. Apparently, they are called fennel fronds!
This ingredient is quite common in Greece but not as easy to find in London. Fennel bulbs can be bought pretty much everywhere but, when it comes to the fronds they are difficult to source.
One of the most famous recipes with this ingredient comes from Crete and it’s called Marathopitakia (literally fennel pies). These are little fluffy fennel pancakes that taste delicious which I promise I’ll make next time.
I didn’t have much time in my hands, so I decided to make little crunchy filo pies with a mix of spinach and fennel instead.These are extremely easy and quick to make.
Green Fronds.
Ingredients:
2 sheets of filo pastry
250g spinach
2 generous handful fennel fronds
3 spring onions
1 handful of toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp of breadcrumbs
Olive oil for brushing
Salt & pepper
For the yoghurt dip:
150g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Time
15 min to make
25 min 180° C FAN
Makes 4 individual pies
Step by Step
Wash the spinach and the fennel and get rid of the fennel stalks. Thinly chop the spring onions too
In a non-stick pan add a drizzle of olive oil and gently sauté the spring onion for a few minutes
Add the spinach and fennel in the pan. Season and put the lid on. Let the greens sweat out their water
Now open the lid to let the water evaporate. Once evaporated transfer the mix in a colander and let it rest and drain for 15min
Separately quickly toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan until golden brown
Transfer the mix of spinach and fennel in a bowl and add the pine nuts and breadcrumbs and mix
Take you filo sheet and divide it in half. With a brush drizzle some olive oil on the filo sheets. Don’t brush, just drizzle!
Put your filling in the top central part of your filo sheet. Fold both sides of the filo inwards. Now roll the filo to create a little cylinder. It’s like rolling a spring roll or a little burrito. Look at the pictures below for reference
Repeat for the remaining filo & filling
Brush your little pies with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes at 180° C FAN. Turn them halfway
Serve with a yoghurt dip. To make this just mix the yoghurt, salt, pepper, olive oil & vinegar
Enjoy!
Tips & cheats
Breadcrumbs are a major cheat to help avoid your filo getting soggy. It won’t change the taste, but it will just absorb any excess liquid.
Never brush the inside layers of the filo or the oil will make it too heavy and it won’t become crunchy. Just drizzle the oil generously and only brush the final top layer. In this way you will always get an extremely crunchy result.
If you don’t like fennel just make these with spinach. On the other hand, if you do love fennel add in more. Adjust the ratio according to your taste.
Crunchy layers!