Spanakopita

 No matter what time of year, this Spanakopita recipe is always a huge hit. 

I Love taking it to a family gathering or "bring a dish" party.  I can even make it ahead and freeze it.

I start by opening a bottle of my favorite wine and consume while cooking.

Spanakopita

This Recipe made 16 triangles

1 lb. Spinach (baby – Bagged fine)

Leek – chopped Large Onion – chopped

1 bunch Green onion – Chopped

2-3 cloves of Garlic – Chopped

Dill

2 Eggs

2 Cups Crumbled Feta

1 tsp. Salt½ tsp. black pepper

1 lb. Fillo Dough

1 cup salted butter, melted

1)      Remove fillo from Freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.  As you prepare the filling, remove fillo from the fridge and leave on the counter

2)      Sauté onion, leek, green onion and garlic over medium high heat until softened.  Add Spinach, wilting the leaves.  Remove pan from heat.  Add Salt, pepper, dill, and feta mixing well.  Then add slightly beaten eggs, stirring well – to blend the ingredients.  Set mixture aside.

3)      Unroll fillo dough from package.  Lay it out flat on the countertop, with wax paper under and above the filo sheets.  Wet a dishtowel to cover the fillo you are not using, to keep it from drying out.  Use a sharp knife to cut fillo in half lengthwise to create two columns of equal size.   Cover one column with a damp towel.  Use other column to begin assembling.

4)      Take one sheet and brush with melted butter, and then place another sheet on top of the buttered side and brush with butter again.  Repeat until you have four layers of fillo.

5)      Place butter fillo in front of you lengthwise.  (The widest side towards you)  Take a heaping Tbl. of spinach mixture and place it on the bottom inside corner of the fillo.  Take the corner of the dough, underneath the spinach mixture so that the corner meets flush with the other side. Continue folding until there is no more fillo and you have a triangle.

6)      Repeat until filo or mixture is gone.  Place on a baking sheet and brush each triangle with more butter

7)      Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the fillo dough is golden.

 

Tips

   

            I also like Athenos Feta Cheese.  Plain or mix  it up with flavored varieties.

            I like to chop all my vegetables before I start.  They tend to cook faster than I can
     cut. 

           

    

      Once, when I got started, my fillo dough was not separating properly.  I purchased it frozen and believe that I did not allow it enough time to thaw.  So be sure to allow it time to thaw completely.  I decided then to make it as a pie.  Layering the equivalent of 4 sheets, but if I had two or even three, it was ok, and buttering the top as I went.  I then spread half the feta mixture on top, covered with four more sheets of fillo and butter, spread the second half of the fillo mixture, and topped with four more sheets of fillo and butter.

Spanakopita Pie

    

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