Leek and silverbeet pies

Preparation Time 25 minutes
Cooking Time 80 minutes

Ingredients (serves 12)
* Melted butter, to grease
* 2 tbs olive oil
* 2 leeks, pale section only, halved lengthways, thinly sliced
* 1 large (about 1.4kg) bunch silverbeet, stalks discarded, leaves washed, shredded
* 200g Greek feta
* 200g fresh ricotta
* 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
* 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* 6 eggs
* 30g (1/3 cup) dry (packaged) breadcrumbs
* 12 sheets filo pastry (Antoniou brand)
* 125g butter, melted


Method
1. Brush 2 round 3cm deep 20cm diameter (base measurement) ceramic or glass pie plates with melted butter to lightly grease.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add leek and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add a third of the silverbeet and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until silverbeet just wilts. Add silverbeet in 2 more batches and cook, stirring, over high heat, for 10-15 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Transfer to a colander and set aside for 30 minutes to drain.
3. Place feta, ricotta, dill, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl. Use a fork to mash until well combined. Add silverbeet mixture, eggs and half the breadcrumbs and use your hand to mix until combined.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cover filo with a dry tea towel then a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying. Line 1 pie plate with a sheet of filo, allowing edges to overhang side. Brush with a little of the melted butter (right to edge to prevent drying and cracking). Place another sheet crossways over top and brush with a little more butter. Continue layering, alternating sheets crossways, with another 4 sheets of filo, brushing each with a little butter. Sprinkle base with half the remaining breadcrumbs. Spoon over half the filling and fold over edges of filo, scrunching towards centre to enclose filling. Brush edges with a little melted butter. Repeat with remaining pie plate, filo, melted butter, breadcrumbs and filling.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until well browned and filling is set (cover with foil if overbrowning). To check if the pies are cooked, gently shake plates and pies should slide and come away from sides. Set aside for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes & tips
* Tip: You can make the pies to the end of step 4 up to 4 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Continue from step 5, 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Source
Australian Good Taste
Recipe by Dimitra Stais & Sarah Hobbs