Slow-Cooked Lamb and Spinach Spanakopita

Name: Slow-Cooked Lamb and Spinach Spanakopita
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 175 min
Total time: 215 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 800 g lamb neck or shoulder, cut into chunks; 500 ml lamb or chicken stock; 270 g filo pastry; 500 g spinach; 150 g feta, crumbled; 100 g butter, melted; 1 onion; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted; 2 clove garlic; 1 tbsp heaped ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp heaped ground cinnamon; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 bay leaf; 1 tbsp butter; 0.5 bunch 1⁄2 small bunch of mint leaves picked and finely chopped; 1 egg, lightly beaten

A hearty twist on the classic Greek pie, featuring tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder and vibrant spinach wrapped in crispy, golden filo pastry. This savory pie is packed with aromatic spices, salty feta, and toasted pine nuts for a truly impressive meal.

Servings6 Portions

Prep Time40 Mins

Cook Time175 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

lamb neck or shoulder, cut into chunks
800 g
lamb or chicken stock
500 ml
filo pastry
270 g
spinach
500 g
feta, crumbled
150 g
butter, melted
100 g
onion
1
olive oil
2 tbsp
sesame seeds
2 tbsp
pine nuts toasted
2 tbsp
garlic
2 clove
heaped ground cumin
1 tbsp
ground coriander
1 tsp
heaped ground cinnamon
1 tsp
cinnamon stick
1
bay leaf
1
butter
1 tbsp
1⁄2 small bunch of mint leaves picked and finely chopped
0.5 bunch
egg, lightly beaten
1

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large casserole pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chunks and fry for 5–7 minutes until deeply browned on all sides. Pour in the stock, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 1.5 hours, or until the lamb is tender enough to fall apart.

While the lamb stews, heat the remaining oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Sauté the sliced onions with a large pinch of salt for 15–20 minutes until golden and caramelized. Stir in the crushed garlic, ground coriander, cumin, and ground cinnamon, cooking for another 3 minutes. Remove the lamb from its liquid (reserve the liquid), shred the meat using two forks, and stir it into the onion mixture along with 50ml of the reserved stewing liquid.

Place the spinach in a pan with 1 tablespoon of water and cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then roughly chop it. Stir the chopped spinach into the lamb and onion mixture along with the crumbled feta, chopped mint, toasted pine nuts, and the beaten egg. Season well with salt and pepper.