Butternut Squash & Gorgonzola Greek Pie (Spanakopita)
A Veggie Alternative for Sunday Dinner…
When I had the ladies over for an alfresco dinner the other day, I served this butternut squash and Gorgonzola greek pie and it went down a storm. I had some strict dietary requirements to cater to and this recipe ticked all the boxes. It was this recipe that inspired me to throw a greek theme evening and since that night, it’s become a staple in my home. We’ve cooked this a couple of times since this dinner.
This butternut squash and Gorgonzola greek pie is so easy to make. It’s mainly in the prep which takes the most concentration and effort. Once you’ve done that, it’s a case of making it up and sticking it in the oven. I had this prepped a couple of hours before the dinner party started so I could easily feed and host. It’s an impressive showstopper and it’s really delicious, everyone will want to show it off on their Instagram.
Butternut Squash & Gorgonzola Greek Pie.
One thing I would recommend in order to cut down the prep time is to use an air fryer for the butternut squash. It cuts the cooking time in half making things go faster. Anything to make this already easy recipe simpler.
Remember those dietary requirements I spoke about? One was a vegetarian and the other was someone who was gluten-free. This pie in the photo is actually GF pastry. I wanted to do a practice run before the big event. It was easy to use and no one actually knew the difference.
In terms of other switches, you could swap over the cheese of a milder one. However, personally, for me, nothing beats the creaminess of Gorgonzola. The original recipe I was following didn’t have spinach in it, so you could take it out but I really like the taste of it in the pie.
Not to toot my own horn, but I think this one will be a hit in everyone’s home. Let me know how you get one when you try it out.
Butternut Squash & Gorgonzola Greek Pie (Spanakopita)
Ingredients
- 750 g butternut squash (about one small squash)
- 500 g baby leaf rocket
- 500 g baby leaf spinach
- 180 g Gorgonzola
- 2 eggs
- 3 filo pastry sheets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 75 g unsalted butter
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Lightly grease a 20cm sandwich tin with butter.
- Peel and chop the butternut squash into chunks. Place onto a baking sheet, add the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat well. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes until softened.
- Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a saucepan. Add the rocket and spinach (you may need to do this in batches) and stir-fry until completely wilted. Allow cooling before handling. Place into a clean tea towel and squeeze out the moisture. Add to a bow.
- Once the squash has been roasted, add to the same bowl. Pull the cheese into chunks and add to the bowl along with the eggs. Season well and mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Unroll the sheets of pastry and paint a sheet in melted butter. Lay the sheet butter side up into the tin allowing the excess to overlap the sides. Repeat with the rest of the sheets, layering at different angles, until the tin is completely covered.
- Pile the tin with the filling squashing it down lightly. Fold the surplus of the pastry until everything is completely covered. Paint the remaining butter over the pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top, is lightly golden and crispy.
- Allow the pie to cool for 30 minutes before serving. This can be eaten hot or cold so it's ideal for leftovers.