Rustic Spinach, Feta and Haloumi Pie, a Scottish vegetarian recipe

This is the most delicious Spinach and Cheese Pie I have ever eaten, and I know that's a big call as I've eaten quite a few. Perhaps it's the grated haloumi that gives it the edge, and the garlic is a must my friends. Presentation can be as rustic as you like, feeds 4-6 easily, and is a cinch to make. It's a big pie.  I'm cleaning out my freezer, it needs to be done, so I used Puff pastry instead of shortcrust  because that's what I had and it didn't make a lot of difference. I always have packets of frozen spinach in my freezer as it is so easy to work with and easier than using fresh I find in this kind of savoury vegetarian pie.

This recipe brings back fond memories of a holiday  we had in Dunbar in Scotland nearly 13 years ago, with friends Alice and Lawrence, whom we met in Mackay when they were out here on a teacher exchange. Lawrence is a vegetarian, does most of the cooking, and I think it's fair to say that this is his signature dish. We lost contact for a while over the years as happens, and then this year I found their address and sent them a Christmas card and asked Lawrence if he still had the recipe. I have been craving the dish since I lost the recipe a few years after we came back from Scotland. Yes they sent me the recipe and a lovely letter and here is the pie, and we were so happy to eat it again. I hope you enjoy it too.

Food is such a form of connection and embedded in so many memories, and now I think of these dear friends every time I make this pie.

 Spinach Pie

Pre-heat oven to 170 C

Ingredients:

 500g frozen spinach thawed, and squeeze as much moisture from it as possible

1 onion thinly sliced

2 gloves of garlic chopped

1 packet of haloumi cheese grated (+ 1 packet of feta cheese crumbled - optional)

1 egg beaten with some creme fraiche or double cream, about 100 mls

Short crust pastry, enough to line a baking dish of your choice with 40-50 mm overlap at edges.

Method:

Mix spinach, onion, garlic, cheese(s), egg and cream all together in a bowl.



Roll out pastry and oil dish, line with pastry and add spinach filling spreading out to fill dish.






Fold over pastry and make rustic looking.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until set.



Enjoy with a simple and delicious  salad of your choice.

This is a very quick post my friends as more holidays are in the wind and there are a lot of things to do.
We feel very fortunate to be living in our part of the world, as so many people in our beautiful but
fire ravaged country are doing it so very tough.
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I will try to keep up with reading and responding to all of the blogs I love to read, and you know who you
are, and there will be some posts from me as technology and time allows as we are now down to one
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Best wishes and please stay safe

 Pauline

An original recipe by  Happy Retirees Kitchen (c)2020.