Fennel and tarragon spinach pie

New

Main Veganisable

Serves 4-6 as a side

Prep 20 min

Cook 1hr

This is a spanakopita of sorts - no cheese, and different herbs, but the same general spirit. Fennel stands in for the more common leek - it's the right season for it, and the caramelised sweetness it brings does a lot of the work here. Dark leafy greens (I’ve gone for frozen spinach), capers and tarragon make up the rest. A mandoline will make short work of the onions and fennel, though a sharp knife and a bit of patience gets you there too.
Best eaten on the day. It keeps in the fridge for two days - ten minutes at 180°C will bring the filo back to life, or eat it at room temperature.

Ingredients

150ml	olive oil
2	onions, thinly sliced (300g)
2	medium fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (about 800g), any fronds reserved
1kg	frozen leaf spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
15g	tarragon leaves
50g	capers
1	lemon: 1 tsp finely grated zest, 1 tbsp juice
6	sheets of filo pastry (about 250g)
1 tsp	nigella seeds
	Fine sea salt

Method

Heat 80ml of the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, fennel and 1 tablespoon of salt and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring often, until caramelised and softened. Gently fold in the spinach, fennel fronds, tarragon, capers, lemon zest and juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2 minutes, until the tarragon has wilted. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Lay a sheet of filo onto a large parchment lined baking tray and brush all over with a tablespoon of oil. Lay the next sheet on top, rotating it clockwise at a slight angle, and brush with another tablespoon of oil. Repeat with the remaining sheets, rotating each one slightly and brushing with oil, until you have a rough star shape.
Pile the spinach filling onto the center of the filo, and pat it down to a rough 20cm circle. Fold the filo up over the filling, leaving about 8 centimeters of the surface exposed. Gently scrunch the edges. Brush the edges and sides of the filo and the top of the filling with a tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning the tray halfway through, until the filo is golden. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, before cutting into thick wedges with a serrated knife.