Easter spinach and leeks terrine with yoghurt and Anthotyro cheese

This is a very tasty recipe, light and refreshing and a great idea to serve it as a first or side dish on Easter Sunday table to enjoy with other delicious special dishes! Ingredients that are in their season now and match together very well to create this special terrine! The terrine can be prepared from the day before, which will save you time, and left in the fridge covered without losing any of its freshness or taste

Recipe of Dina Nikolaou,

a prominent Head Cook, food writer and restaurateur

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)



Ingredients (for 6-8 people)

For the terrine:

1Kg of spinach, cleaned (about 1.300gr. in total)
2 large leeks, cut in thin rings (only the white part)
3 Spring onions, cut in thin slices (both white and green tender part)
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 tea-cup of Greek Graviera cheese, grated (Cretan Graviera is a good choice)
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
salt
pepper
1/3 tsp of ground nutmeg

For the yoghurt mixture:
500 gr. of Greek thick yoghurt
250 gr. of Anthotyro cheese, crumbled
3 egg yolks
1 tea-cup of finely snipped dill
salt
pepper

Method:
Wash the spinach well, pat dry and finely chop it.

Put in a wide and shallow pot the spinach, the leeks and the Spring onions and season with salt and pepper. "Blanch" the vegetables (without any water in) on medium heat stirring with a wooden spatula until their liquids are evaporated and wilt.

Pour over with the oil and season with the nutmeg. Sauté the vegetables for 3 minutes and take the pot off the heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then add the grated cheese and the beaten egg whites and stir very well.

Put in a bowl the yoghurt, the dill, the Anthotyro cheese, the egg yolks, salt and pepper and beat with a whisk until the ingredients are well blended.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush thoroughly with some oil the bottom and the sides of a long cake tin (or a bundt cake one).

Spread at the bottom of the tin a layer of the spinach mixture and smooth with a spatula, continue with a layer of the yoghurt mixture and continue in the same way until the ingredients are used up.

Transfer the tin into an oven pan. Add water in the pan -the water level should reach the middle of the tin (bain marie method). Cover the tin with foil and carefully put the pan in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the terrine is firm. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely before you turn onto a serving platter. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 4-5 hours to chill.

Serve cold, cutting into slices.