The kitchen garden is starting to produce an abundance of vegetables: tomatoes, runner beans, garden peas, spinach and swiss chard among other things, as well as soft fruit, strawberries and raspberries. It’s wonderful to have so much fresh produce – and what we can’t use at once is going into the freezer.

Here’s an easy spinach pie recipe that’s great hot or cold. I used a combination of perpetual spinach leaves and swiss chard (my all-time favourite vegetable). Just wash all the leaves thoroughly, put in a bowl, cover with film and microwave for thirty seconds or so until just wilted then they can be added to the pie.

Easy Spinach Pie

  • Flaky pastry 
  • Large bowl full of a mixture of spinach and swiss chard leaves (I chop up the chard stems as well -about 1 inch lengths- and include them)
  • 1 finely sliced onion
  • 100 gms (about) grated cheese (a fairly strong cheddar-type is good)
  • several slices of tinned corned beef (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degreesC.

Prepare your pastry (I used a round of ready rolled and made a giant pasty shaped pie but you do what suits you.) Pile wilted leaves on one half of pastry base (use plenty as they will shrink during cooking) add sliced onions, grated cheese and finally, (if you use it) corned beef slices. Wet edges of pastry with water and fold over other half of pastry to form a pasty. Pinch edges together well to form a good seal. Make two small slits in the top for air to escape. Brush lightly with beaten egg or milk to glaze.

Place on oven tray and bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot or cold with new potatoes, or a tomato and cucumber salad.

Enjoy!