Spanakopita

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When we have family get-togethers, I'm usually in charge of making appetizers. This isn't a big deal to me, but my pants might tell you a different story. The rule of cooking is to taste everything along the way, right? And we have a LOT of family get-togethers.

I usually order the Spanakopita for an appetizer at the local Greek restaurant when Chris and I go, so I figured I'd try something new for one of our family gatherings. For those of you who don't know, Spanakopita is basically wilted spinach, feta and other seasonings wrapped and baked in phyllo dough. I find that the Spanakopita I get is usually very greasy, so I wanted to try to make them just as flavorful but without the extra oil. This recipe did exactly that! They were still very flaky on the outside, but weren't as heavy. I definitely recommend these if you are stuck in a rut and want to try out a new appetizer. Have a great weekend!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds spinach, washed and drained
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound phyllo pastry sheets

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes.  Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. Using cheesecloth really helps with this process.  Roughly chop the spinach. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil.  Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil.  Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. You can do this part ahead of time and keep refrigerated.

Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.  Unroll the phyllo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out. Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo into 3 x 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of the phyllo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with the remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until they are all ready to bake.

Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot.

Note: These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.

Source: The Food Network