Fatfree guiltfree Spinach Pastry

In Turkey, there is absolutely no way you can avoid ‘börek’, a pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese. It is literally served on every occasion: you will find it on the breakfast table, at dinner, on the birthday buffet or in your tray on the Turkish Airlines flight. Prepared the traditional way, börek is super heavy because it is stuffed with butter. I decided it is time to come up with a light version that we can all enjoy without jeopardising our healthy lifestyle.

Here are the ingredients you need for one tray:
1 kilo spinach (I usually use 1.5 kilos)
1 onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
200 gr light feta cheese
1 glass low fat milk
2 eggs
2 filo pastry sheets
freshly grounded black pepper
(pinch of salt)

Rinse the spinach leaves thoroughly under cold running water to remove all of the dirt and disinfectant. Clip long stems and cut it finely. Then chop the onion and brown the little dices in the olive oil for 5 minutes or until golden. Add the spinach and cook only until the leaves wilt. Scatter the feta cheese crumbles on top and season with black pepper. If the cheese is salt free you may have to add a little salt. Mix cheese and spinach carefully and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, mix the milk with the two eggs. You may use any milk you want. Some of my friends use sparkling water or yoghurt instead. Let me know which one worked best for you.

Now choose a tray which is preferably about 6-7 cm high and line it with a baking sheet before you start spreading the first filo sheet. Leave the corners overlapping the tray, you will fold them over the ready pastry in the end. Layer for layer, spread the spinach filling and some of the milk and then again filo sheets. Once you have finished up all your ingredients, flap over the sides from the first sheet and brush it with a little of the milk mixture to get a golden color.

I baked the börek for 30 minutes in the 200 degrees preheated oven. It may be ready earlier in yours though, so please check now and then. Enjoy!