Alternative:Spanakopita
| Greek Cuisine
Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie. This recipe serves 8.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs./900 gms. fresh spinach (or equivalent 20oz/580gm frozen, thawed, and drained)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- ¼ C extra virgin olive oil
- 1 C chopped scallions
- ½ C minced fresh parsley
- 1 T minced fresh dill
- ¼ t freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 T lemon juice
- ¾ C crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ C small curd cottage cheese
- ¼ C freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 12-20 sheets phyllo pastry
- ⅔ C clarified butter
Procedure
- Remove large stems from spinach, wash, chop, lightly steam, drain, pressing out any liquid with the back of a spoon.
- Place onions and oil in large skillet. Cook over medium heat until slightly tender. Add scallions and cook until limp. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, dill, and nutmeg.
- To the skillet, add the cheeses, spinach, and lemon juice. Mix and add eggs. Mix again gently.
- To assemble the Spanakopita, brush a shallow 9x12 inch baking dish with some of the clarified butter. Layer about 5 sheets of phyllo, one at a time, covering bottom of dish, sides, and draping over edges. Brush butter in between layers. Fill with half of spinach filling. Add 3-5 more phyllo sheets, brushing butter in between layers. Add remaining spinach filling and top with all remaining phyllo sheets, brushing butter between sheets. Roll up and create a lip with all overhanging phyllo sheets. crumble any broken sheet bits on top. Drizzle any remaining clarified butter over top. Bake for 45 min. at 350°F or 180°C. Spanakopita is done when puffed and golden. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
- I usually double or triple this recipe and make 2 huge baking dishes. This is just as fabulous as a leftover.
- Instead of phyllo pastry, my Greek mother-in-law taught me to use pizza dough purchased from the supermarket dairy section as a quick and delicious alternative.
- Please note that phyllo pastry has fewer calories than other doughs.
