Crispy golden pastry with a savoury red spinach and feta filling
Looking for a new way to cook with red spinach?
This red spinach and feta filo pie combines tender leafy greens, creamy feta, fresh herbs and layers of crisp, golden pastry.
Inspired by Mediterranean-style spinach pies, this recipe uses red amaranth — also known as lal shak or red spinach — in place of conventional spinach.
It's a versatile dish that works for a family lunch, a relaxed weekend dinner or a vegetarian option on a café menu. Serve it warm with a fresh salad, or enjoy a slice at room temperature as part of a sharing platter.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Total time: Approximately 65 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Ingredients
For the filling
250g fresh red spinach (red amaranth/lal shak) leaves
150g feta cheese, crumbled
100g ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
A little salt, if needed
For the pastry
8 sheets filo pastry, approximately 250g in total
3 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
1 tsp sesame seeds, optional
To serve
Fresh lemon wedges
Mixed salad leaves
A small handful of microgreens, optional
Method
1. Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 190°C fan (210°C conventional). Lightly grease a baking dish approximately 20 × 25cm with olive oil. Remove the filo pastry from the fridge according to the packet instructions, keeping it covered until needed to prevent it drying out.
2. Prepare the red spinach
Wash the red spinach thoroughly and remove any particularly thick or tough stems. Roughly chop the leaves. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the red spinach in batches. Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leaves have softened. Transfer the cooked leaves to a colander and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. This is an important step because excess liquid can make the pastry soggy.
3. Cook the onion and garlic
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan. Cook the chopped onion over a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
4. Prepare the filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked red spinach, onion and garlic. Add the crumbled feta, ricotta, eggs, dill, parsley and oregano. Season with freshly ground black pepper and mix until everything is evenly combined. Taste for seasoning only before adding the raw eggs, as feta can already be quite salty.
5. Layer the filo pastry
Place one sheet of filo pastry into the prepared baking dish, allowing any excess pastry to hang over the edges. Brush lightly with olive oil. Repeat with another three sheets, brushing each layer lightly with oil. Keep the unused filo covered with a clean, slightly damp tea towel while you work.
6. Add the filling
Spoon the red spinach and feta mixture evenly over the pastry base. Spread gently with the back of a spoon. Avoid pressing the filling down too firmly.
7. Finish the pastry
Place the remaining four sheets of filo pastry over the filling, brushing each layer lightly with olive oil. Fold or tuck the pastry edges into the dish. Brush the top with any remaining olive oil and scatter over the sesame seeds, if using. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the top pastry into six portions without cutting all the way through the filling.
8. Bake until golden
Place the dish in the centre of the oven. Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is set. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
9. Allow to rest
Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for approximately 10 minutes. This allows the filling to settle and makes slicing easier.
10. Serve
Cut the pie into six portions. Serve warm with lemon wedges and a fresh side salad. For an attractive finishing touch, add a small handful of microgreens to the plate immediately before serving.
Why use red spinach in a filo pie?
Red spinach, also known as red amaranth or lal shak, is a versatile leafy vegetable used in a range of cuisines. Although it is often associated with South Asian cooking, it can also be incorporated into familiar dishes that traditionally use other leafy greens.
Its tender leaves soften quickly when cooked, making it suitable for savoury fillings, curries, stir-fries and baked dishes. In this recipe, the red spinach is combined with feta and ricotta to create a soft filling that contrasts with the crisp filo pastry.
The red-purple colouring of the raw leaves may become less pronounced during cooking, but the leaves remain an important part of the finished dish.
Serving suggestions
For a family lunch
Serve a generous slice with cucumber, tomatoes and a simple lemon dressing. The pastry can be prepared ahead of time and baked shortly before serving.
For entertaining
Cut the pie into smaller portions and serve as part of a Mediterranean-inspired sharing platter. Pair with olives, roasted peppers, hummus and warm flatbread.
For cafés and restaurants
Serve individual portions alongside a dressed seasonal salad. A small garnish of micro red amaranth can provide an attractive contrast to the golden pastry. For a lighter lunch option, serve a smaller slice with a larger salad.
For foodservice and catering
The pie can be portioned into smaller squares for buffets, vegetarian lunch menus or event catering. Prepare and store it following appropriate food hygiene procedures, keeping cooked portions refrigerated and reheating thoroughly when required.
For a dairy-free variation
Replace the feta and ricotta with suitable plant-based alternatives. Check that the pastry is dairy-free and use an appropriate egg replacement if making the dish fully vegan.
Tips for the best filo pie
Remove excess moisture. Cooked red spinach can release water. Squeezing out the excess helps prevent a soggy pastry base.
Keep the pastry covered. Filo dries out quickly when exposed to air.
Use a light hand with the oil. Brushing each layer lightly is enough to help create crisp pastry.
Allow the pie to rest. Cutting immediately after baking can make the filling difficult to portion neatly.
Experiment with herbs. Dill, parsley and mint can all work well with the savoury filling.
Discover WeGrow Farms
WeGrow Farms is developing a UK-grown range of speciality greens, including red spinach, micro red amaranth and micro basil.
Our planned production in Kent is being shaped around the requirements of chefs, restaurants, wholesalers, distributors and other food businesses.
If you're interested in future supply, we'd welcome the opportunity to understand your preferred products, pack sizes and weekly volumes.
Discover WeGrow Farms and help shape our future growing programme.