Silverbeet and Cheese Pie

We are trying to eat less meat in our house. I know that my children would live on sausages alone if they could.

Here are a few reasons why:

1) I would rather spend money on good quality, locally sourced meat. It costs more so it makes sense to eat less. I would rather do that than eat cheap meat everyday.

2) It is a less expensive way to feed our family

3) It's better for your body and better for the environment

I grew up in a meat and three veg. family, we never ate a vegetarian meal for dinner. It never would have been considered. But serving a meal without meat has never bothered me.

I think that years living in London when I was younger helped shaped how I eat today. In England, I (a budget traveller) could not afford to buy meat. I was lucky that I worked in the food industry and we ate at work - very well! But at home we always cooked vegetarian, sometimes chicken. I did cook a lamb roast, only once, that was to celebrate a friend coming out of a 2 month stay in hospital.

I made this silverbeet and cheese pie on the weekend for dinner. It is similar to Spanakopita - very yummy. This is the very last piece in the photo. It disappeared so quickly I think I will be making it again soon.

I do need to mention that my children only ate the salad. The following night we cooked sausages for dinner.

Silverbeet and Cheese Pie

serves 6-8

for the pastry

• 10 sheets filo pastry
• 200 grams butter (melted)

for the filling

• 1 bunch silverbeet (roughly chopped and wilted)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 4 eggs (lightly beaten)
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• a pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and black pepper

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Grease a 25cm pie dish. (I used a 30 x 18cm baking dish) Heat the oil in a small frying pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until soft. In a large bowl combine all of the filling ingredients, add the onion and garlic and mix well.

Line the pie dish with the sheets of filo pastry, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Pour in the filling and bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until lightly brown and set.