Lighter Spanakopita? I Barely Knew ‘Er!

It is an absolute knacker to try to make a slimming version of this buttery Greek dish, so although we’ve reduced the fat and calories we’re using our ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ motto, and combining it with the ethos that you’ll probably eat two portions the same as us and at least this way it’s not too deleterious to your slimming.

458 calories

Serves 4

500g frozen chopped spinach

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

150g cottage cheese, drained, so the curds remain

50g reduced-fat feta cheese

50g grated parmesan cheese

3 eggs

a tiny pinch of nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

240g sheet of light puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7.

• Place the spinach in a colander and run warm water over it until fully defrosted. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can then set aside.
• Spray a frying pan with a little oil and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until softened.
• In a bowl, mix together the spinach, cottage cheese curds, feta, parmesan, 2 eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Line a 22cm baking dish with baking paper. Divide the pastry into two halves. Roll one half out to line the dish, then lay it over the dish and trim the edges. Spread over the spinach mixture. Roll out the rest of the pastry and place it on top, then crimp the edges with the back of a fork to seal. Beat the remaining egg and brush over the top to glaze.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is bronzed and handsome, like your authors.

Notes from Paul Serve with a tomato and chickpea salad – take a good mixture of tomatoes, chopped with 1 large shallot, a pinch of sumac, some crushed garlic, a tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper – leave to sit for an hour and serve warm. You could swap the puff pastry for traditional filo, and chuck some sultanas in with the spinach and cheese if you’re feeling decadent.