Spanakopita Risotto with Phyllo Crinkle
Bright and fresh spinach and feta risotto with a crispy phyllo topping
Ingredients
Phyllo Crinkle
- 1 roll phyllo pastry 250g
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 1½ cup hard cheese, grated
Spinach Puree
- 200 g baby spinach leaves, rinsed
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
- 6 cups stock (vegetable or chicken) for both the spinach puree and the risotto.
Risotto
- 6 spring onions finely chopped, white and green parts separated
- 3 tbsp butter keep 1 tbsp for the end
- ¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
- 2 cups arborio rice 400g
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup feta cheese, sliced into cubes use a firm, traditional variety
- 1 cup grated hard cheese The Klein River Gruberg works beautifully here.
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
- squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
Phyllo Crinkle
- Preheat the oven to 160℃ (320℉).
- Brush the bottom of a baking sheet with butter.
- Taking 2 sheets of phyllo pastry at a time, working on the long end of the phyllo, scrunch the sheets into accordion-style folds, with each fold about 1cm in width. Continue until the baking sheet is covered. Don't worry if the phyllo tears a bit, the phyllo is very forgiving when baked.
- Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the crinkled phyllo. Sprinkle with the grated hard cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cut into 6 to 8 large squares once cooled.
Spinach Puree
- Decant ½ cup of stock for the spinach puree and set aside. Place the rest in a pot over a low heat for the risotto.
- Prepare an ice bath for the spinach by placing a colander inside a larger pot or bowl filled with ice water. The water should fill at least half the volume of the colander when placed inside.
- Place a medium sized, heavy based pot with a lid (I like to use my Le Creuset dutch oven) over a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the spinach in the pot and cover. Steam for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until bright green.
- Immediately transfer the spinach into the colander with ice water and let it sit for a few minutes. Lift the colander out of the pot and place over a sink to allow the water to drain.
- Place the spinach in a Nutribullet cup or blender. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup stock to just cover the spinach. Blend until smooth. Season to taste and set aside for later.
Risotto
- The stock from step 1 should be gently simmering. Keep on a low heat for the risotto.
- Place the feta cubes in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with warm water. Place in the microwave for one to two minutes to cook off the acidity.
- Place the same pot used for the spinach (wipe down if necessary) over a medium-low heat. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and add the spring onion whites and nutmeg. Sauté until translucent.
- Add the arborio rice and stir to coat the grains (add more butter if it's cooked off too much). Toast lightly for a minute or two.
- Deglaze the saucepan with the wine. Stir until all the liquid has absorbed.
- Add the simmering stock one ladle (or ½ a cup) at a time. Stir each ladleful of stock into the risotto and allow all the liquid to absorb whilst stirring occasionally. Continue until the rice is al dente (not all the stock may be necessary).
- Take the risotto off the heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and the cheeses. Stir briefly to combine and cover with the lid. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
- After resting, stir to combine the melted butter and cheese (the feta should remain in chunks).
- Add the spinach puree and stir to combine. Add the fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a square of the phyllo crinkle. Garnish with fresh dill and spring onion greens. Serve immediately.
Notes
Serves 6- 8 people
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I use the metric cup measurement: 1 cup = 250ml