8 oz Olive oil/Butter
(Mix this with some milk and 1 egg. This is an oily sauce to butter the filo pastry leaves.)
8 X Filo pastry (Phyllo dough)
Sesame seeds
For the filling:
8 oz. fresh spinach
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon oil
Minced garlic (4 piece) and onions (3 tablespoons)
½ table spoon ground cumin
Feta cheese - crumbled
Tomato paste (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F
Trim spinach and wash it thoroughly. Put leaves in a large pan with no extra water but a little salt, and cook, covered, for 3-5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until leaves are soft. Drain Well.
Heat oil in a pan and saute sliced onion until starting to soften. Stir in garlic and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. (After that you can add tomato paste just to make it a little bit colorful and tastier.)
Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil sauce. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil sauce, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach, onions and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
Optional: If you want it to be golden baked; brush the top surface of the pie with an egg yolk.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.
