IN THE KITCHEN: Chard, Spinach & Feta Pie

There’s been a glut of chard and spinach to harvest at the freely fruity site this week.

If you come across some of these supergreens, here is a delicious way to eat them.

The stalks of rainbow chard are too beautiful to cook so here they are quickly pickled and taste fantastic with the salty feta and filo.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pickling liquor

200ml malt or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, crushed

For the tart

400g rainbow chard, washed and dried

25g butter

2-3 tbsp oil

2 brown onions, large dice

5g fresh coriander, chopped

A pinch of salt

200g spinach, washed and dried

200g feta cheese

2 eggs

Black pepper

1 lemon, zest only

4 sheets filo pastry

A pinch black onion/nigella/kalonji seeds

Place the pickling liquor ingredients into a medium bowl and mix until the sugar and salt have dissolved
Tear the stalks off the chard, slice the stalks and place them into the pickling liquor; set aside
Tear up the chard leaves and set aside
Place a large frying pan (one you have a lid for) onto a medium heat and melt the butter with 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion, coriander and salt and fry until soft and translucent; about 5 minutes
Add half of the chard leaves and cover with the lid for a few minutes until wilted then add the rest. Repeat with the spinach then uncover the pan for a few minutes and cook until any water has evaporated; switch off the heat and cool
In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs then crumble in the feta, mix well with some pepper and the lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 185°C
Mix the chard and spinach into the egg mixture
Brush one sheet of filo with oil then lay another on top to form a cross. Brush this sheet with oil and place a third sheet on the diagonal, brush this sheet with oil and finish with the final sheet on the other diagonal
Use this filo star to line a 20cm / 8inch springform cake tin, letting the edges fall over the sides
Fill the middle with the chard mixture then fold the overhanging pastry into the middle, brush with a little more oil and a pinch of onion seeds
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden
Remove from the tin and cool a little
Drain the pickled stalks and when ready to serve, pile in the centre of the pie

Recipe by Charlotte Simpkins for Freely Fruity