THE CANNY COOK: Spinach and feta filo triangles
- These are great for a picnic – and perfect to serve at a garden party
- Serves 4, £1.81 per person*
Outdoor dining is one of the joys of our British summer, and the simplicity of throwing a blanket on the grass and unpacking a hamper in the sunshine is guaranteed to lift the spirits.
Picnics are meant to be casual, unfussy affairs, and whether you are nipping to your local deli or supermarket, or preparing dishes at home, the food should follow this principle.
I try to stick to the rule of finger food only. It makes life easier. There’s no need for plates or cutlery, no salads that need dressing (they’ll just wilt anyway) and it is preferable if you have children in tow. This doesn’t mean you are restricted to sandwiches.
There are bundles of options, from the classics of sausage rolls and scotch eggs, to veg-studded focaccias, watermelon and feta skewers and savoury muffins. Handy tip – muffin tins come in useful when catering for picnics because you can bake individual portions of cakes, frittatas and pizza rolls (shop-bought pizza dough rolled with tomato and cheese and sliced into rounds before baking). You can also use the tins to transport the items to the picnic.
Pasties and pastries make great finger food, too, and this recipe is a summery classic. You can vary the filling by adding crushed chickpeas or chopped sun-dried tomatoes to bulk it up, or by forgoing the feta for a vegan option.
Method
4-5 sheets filo pastry, £2; 100g feta, £1.79
1½ tsp zaatar, £1.80; 500g fresh spinach, £1.66
Put the spinach in a large bowl and pour over a kettle of freshly boiled water. Leave for a minute to wilt. Drain, rinse under cold water, then squeeze in batches to remove as much water as possible. Pat dry thoroughly on kitchen towel.
Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 1 finely diced onion with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until soft and just golden. Add the spinach and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat, cool for 5 minutes, then stir through the crumbled feta and zaatar. Season to taste.
Halve the filo sheets lengthways to make long strips. Take one strip and brush lightly all over with oil. Pile a heaped spoonful of the mixture in the bottom corner. Fold up on the diagonal to create a triangle of pastry encasing the filling.
Brush all over with a little more oil. Scatter the top with a little zaatar and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have used all the pastry and filling.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the filo triangles for about 20 minutes until deep golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best eaten the day they’re made.
Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email editor@you.co.uk. If we print it here, we’ll send you a bottle of champagne
*This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. prices taken from tesco and correct at time of going to press.
Illustrations: Ellie Allen-Eslor