Spanakopita Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the spinach in a wire-mesh strainer or colander, place over a sink and drain well. Use your hands or a paper towel to squeeze the excess water out of the spinach.
• Place the spinach in a medium mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, and basil. Stir in the beaten egg, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the feta cheese and mix well to combine. Set aside.
• Gently unfold the phyllo dough.* Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on a large cutting board and gently brush with the melted butter. Place a second phyllo sheet on top of the first and brush with butter. Repeat 2 more times until you have a stack of 4 phyllo sheets with butter brushed between the layers.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo sheets lengthwise into 3 strips. Place 2 tablespoons of the spinach filling 1 inch from the bottom end of each strip.
• Take the bottom right corner of the strip between your thumb and finger and fold over the spinach filling to the left to make a triangle. Gently pull up the bottom left corner and fold up to make a second triangle. Continue folding until you reach the top. Place the triangle, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the completed triangle lightly with butter.
• Repeat with the remaining strips and phyllo sheets until all of the filling is used.
• Arrange the triangles 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and heated all the way through. Remove the spanakopita from the oven and cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions and leek until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until the leaves have wilted and the liquid has cooked off, about 8-10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool somewhat. When cool enough to handle, finely chop the spinach and place in a large bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Lightly oil (always use olive oil!) a 12 inch in diameter, metal baking pan (you can use a larger baking pan - you will just have a thinner pita, but don't use a smaller one), or a 10 x 15 inch rectangular baking pan.
• Add dill and feta cheese to the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste (careful with the salt - the feta will add quite a bit of its own). Pour the eggs over and give a stir to combine well.
• Open up the phyllo pastry and place on a work surface. If using the country style pastry proceed, if using the thinner phyllo; cover with a damp cloth. (Continue to cover the pastry sheets with the damp cloth each time you remove one as you prepare the pie.).
• Layer the phyllo in the pan, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the pan, brushing each phyllo layer generously with olive oil.
• Use up half the phyllo sheets to make the bottom pastry layer, allowing excess pastry to drape over edge of pan.
• Put the spinach mixture in and press the top down gently to smooth filling. Tuck in the pastry draping over the edges.
• Repeat layering with the remaining phyllo, oiling each sheet generously.
• Using a sharp knife, score the upper layers of pastry into the size pieces you will want to serve once the pie is baked- BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THROUGH BOTTOM PASTRY.
• Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes until it is golden brown. For the last 15-20 minutes, I put my baking pan directly on the oven floor to crisp it better.
• Cool till just warm (we never, but never eat this hot! The flavours just wouldn't come through properly). Cut into serving pieces and serve either just warm or at room temperature.
• Note: If my spinach filling appears to be too 'wet', I often take 2 of the phyllo sheets and use them as a 'layer' between the spinach filling; these sheets absorb the extra liquid (they must not be brushed with oil).
• It's also worth noting that Greeks love their olive oil! I have used olive oil with a lighter hand than most Greeks in this recipe - but it may still be too much for you. Feel free to add the amount you feel most comfortable with, but be aware that flavour may be compromised.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 3 minutes until soft. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and continue to saute until the spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, remove from heat and place in a colander, and squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside to cool. The filling needs to be cool and dry to prevent the phyllo from becoming soggy. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with feta, coriander, and nutmeg. Season, then fold in the cooled spinach mixture until well blended.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, brush 2 baking sheets with some melted butter. Unroll the phyllo dough and lay a sheet flat on a work surface. Take care to keep the phyllo covered with a damp, not wet, towel as you work to prevent drying out and becoming brittle. Brush the sheet with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with some oregano and chives. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo, stacking on top of each other. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the sheets lengthwise into thirds to form 2 1/2-inch strips. Do this with all the sheets of dough.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of the layered phyllo strip. Fold the end at an angle over the filling to form a triangle. Continue to fold the triangle along the strip until you reach the end, like folding up a flag. Brush the top with butter and dust with Parmesan, place on prepared baking sheet, and cover while preparing the remaining pastries. Repeat until all the filling and phyllo strips are used up. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the triangles are crisp and golden. Serve hot, warm or cold.

Steps:

• Place oven rack in center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Preheat a small pan over medium to medium high heat. Add oil and onion and saute 5 minutes. Place onion in a bowl. Add chopped dry, defrosted spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add feta to the bowl and combine it with spinach. Add beaten egg and sour cream to the bowl and combine with cheese, spinach and onion.
• On a large work surface, place 1 sheet of phyllo. Paint half of the sheet with a little melted butter, paying extra attention to your perimeter. Fold sheet in half. Pile 1/4 of your spinach mixture into a log shape working 2 inches from bottom and each side. Tuck bottom up and fold both sides in, then roll and wrap upwards until you reach the edge of the dough sheet. Each pastry will resemble an egg roll. Paint the seam and the ends of the roll with butter and set roll seam side down on a cookie sheet. Repeat and make 4 rolls. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden all over and serve.

Steps:

• 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, then chop roughly. 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, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept 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 filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo 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 remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.
• Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (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.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the scallions. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the scallions, dill, eggs, feta, salt, and pepper and mix together.
• Keep the phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel. Unfold 1 sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs until all 10 sheets have been used. Spoon 3/4 cup of the spinach mixture into a sausage shape along one edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up. Brush the top with butter and score the roll into 1-inch rounds. Place it on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all the pastry and filling have been used.
• Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook spinach, stirring, until wilted and tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool, about 10 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and stir in feta, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Melt remaining 1 stick butter in a small saucepan, then cool.
• Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel.
• Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keeping remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with more butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack crosswise into 6 (roughly 12- by 2 3/4-inch) strips.
• Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangle shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on a large baking sheet and brush top with butter. Make more triangles in same manner, using all of phyllo.
• Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

Steps:

• Trim the roots from the English spinach, or if using silverbeet, remove leaves from tough stems. Wash leaves and drain well. Coarsely shred the leaves and tender stalks of the spinach and set aside.
• Place the feta in a large bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Add the ricotta, kefalograviera, eggs, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, pepper and oil. Mix with the fork to combine. Add the spinach and set aside while preparing the pastry case.
• Preheat oven to 180?C.=2 0Lightly grease a 20cm x 30cm x 5cm deep baking dish.
• Lay the filo out on a bench. Cover with a dry tea towel then a damp one to keep it from drying out. Line dish with a sheet of filo and butter the filo. Top with another sheet of filo and butter and continue until about half the sheets of filo are used.
• Using your hand or a large metal spoon, gently mix the spinach filling until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pastry base and spread evenly. Top with remaining filo, buttering each sheet, ensuring the final sheet is well buttered. Trim any overhanging pastry and tuck in the sides.
• Use a sharp knife to mark pastry top into diamonds, allowing the knife to pierce the pastry once or twice to allow air to escape during baking. Sprinkle lightly with water and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until well browned and set. Gently shake the pan and the spanakopita will slide easily when cooked. Cover with foil if over browning. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Slowly cook and stir onions until softened.
• Mix in spinach, dill and flour.
• Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat.
• Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.
• Lay phyllo dough flat and brush with butter.
• Place a small amount of spinach mixture onto each piece of dough.
• Fold phyllo into triangles around the mixture.
• Brush with butter.
• Place filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F & wash spinach and place in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Squeeze out all excess moisture and set it aside.
• Heat oil in a saucepan and add onion, spinach and dill. Cook on high for 3 minutes until onions soften. Remove and cool. Combine the cooled spinach mixture with feta, eggs and salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Work with ONE sheet of phyllo at a time. Cut each sheet of phyllo into 5 long, equal strips. Brush one strip with melted butter. Cover with a second strip and butter again. Lay strip down vertically in front of you. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling in bottom corner of strip. Fold over in half diagonally creating a triangle. Continue folding over into triangular shape until you reach end of strip. Repeat with remaining strips. Brush tops with a little more butter. Place triangles on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until golden.

Steps:

• To make the filling:.
• Make sure to thaw phyllo the night before in the fridge!
• Thaw and drain spinach, squeezing with your hands to get most of the liquid out. You can use fresh if you prefer ( just steam, drain & chop ) Toast pine nuts in small pan until light golden brown, set aside. Add green onions & garlic to same pan and fry in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add garlic last so it doesn't burn.
• Add spinach, cooled green onions & garlic cream cheese, feta,(mash these two cheeses together if you wish) pine nuts,cottage cheese, egg yolks, nutmeg, dill, mint, oregano and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into spinach mixture'.
• Melt butter.
• To assemble:.
• Keep phyllo covered with a damp tea towel at all times!
• Take one sheet and using a pasty brush, cover with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo and cover that with butter. Using your hands to spread the butter is messy but makes the process go much faster.
• Working quickly, use a pizza cutter and cut into four long strips.
• Starting at the end close to you, add a tablespoons of filling and fold over, fold over sides then roll up tightly, tucking sides in as you go. You might need to use some melted butter for 'glue'.
• Don't worry if it tears, just patch with butter and keep rolling.
• Place on rimmed ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with more butter and pierce each one with a sharp knife two or three times.
• Bake in the center of a 350* oven for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Let cool on racks.
• These are a great make ahead appetizer- freeze and reheat as many as you need. You may need another package of phyllo depending on how much filling you use or make mini tarts with the leftover filling.
• I like to mash the feta and cream cheese together so they are nicely mixed together.
• You can forget the fussy rolls and use the filling to make a traditional Spanakopita pie.

Steps:

• Pack the spinach into a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over and press the spinach down with a wooden spoon. Leave for 1 min to wilt, stirring a couple of times so all the leaves are submerged. Tip into a large colander and place under running cold water to cool quickly. Drain well - squeeze out any excess water by pressing the spinach down with the wooden spoon, then squeezing with your hands. Using kitchen paper, pat the spinach dry into a compact shape, lay it on a board and roughly chop, then set aside.
• Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the shallot, spring onions and garlic, and fry over a high-ish heat for 3-4 mins, stirring often, until softened and just starting to brown. Lower the heat, tip in the spinach and stir for 1 min only to finish drying. Season with pepper and a good pinch of nutmeg, and leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and put a baking sheet in to heat up. In a bowl, stir the ricotta into the beaten egg and mix in the 2 tbsp dill, the chives and mint. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt.
• Lightly oil a 20cm square x 4cm deep cake tin. Mix the remaining oil with the 1 rounded tsp dill. Lay the filo pastry sheets on a large board. Brush the top one with a little of the dill oil, then carefully lower it into the tin to line the base and 2 of the sides, with an overhang on both sides. The pastry doesn't have to fit in smoothly - a few wrinkles and folds in it are fine. Brush a bit more oil over the second pastry sheet and this time lay it down in the tin the other way round, so it drapes over and lines the base and the other 2 sides. The tin should now be completely covered, with a pastry overhang all round. Repeat the criss-cross layering with 2 more oiled filo sheets.
• Stir the ricotta mixture into the spinach, then crumble in the feta. Lightly stir it in so you leave a few chunky pieces. Spoon this filling into the lined tin and level it. Bring the pastry sides up and over the filling, then brush a little oil over them. Brush the remainder of the oil over the last filo sheet on the board. Cut the sheet in half widthways and lay one half over at a time, in big folds, to cover the filling and give you a pastry topping.
• Place the tin on the heated baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Leave to cool for 10-15 mins. Remove the tin and transfer to a serving plate. If your tin doesn't have a loose bottom, carefully upturn it onto a flat board, then flip it over onto the serving plate. Serve warm or cold with minted yogurt dip and a tomato, cucumber & pepper salad (see below), if you like.

Steps:

• Heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the spinach with only the rinsing water clinging to the leaves, cover and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
• Drain well on paper towels, then squeeze out as much of the remaining liquid as possible.
• Place in a large bowl and add the feta cheese, kefalotiri cheese, eggs, mint, and nutmeg.
• Stir well to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat an oven to 375°F.
• Lightly butter a baking sheet.
• Cut the stack of phyllo sheets lengthwise into 3 equal strips.
• Remove 1 strip and cover the remaining phyllo with a slightly dampened kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.
• Place the strip on a work surface and brush lightly with melted butter.
• Place another strip on top.
• Brush the second strip lightly with melted butter.
• Place a heaping teaspoonful of the filling about 1 inch in from the bottom of the strip.
• Fold the uncovered end over the filling on the diagonal to form a triangular shape.
• Bring the bottom of the triangle up against the straight edge.
• Continue folding in this manner until the tip of the strip is reached, forming a triangular pastry.
• Brush lightly with melted butter.
• Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling.
• Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a platter.
• Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 2 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Arrange 3/4 cup spinach mixture in a narrow row along the long end of phyllo to within 1 in. of edges. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then roll up. Brush end of phyllo dough with butter and press to seal. Repeat 4 times with phyllo sheets, butter and the spinach mixture. Place rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, seam side down., Cut rolls diagonally into 2-in. pieces (do not separate). Brush tops with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. If desired, serve with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges and dill sprigs. , Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer container; return to freezer. To use, bake rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 375° oven until heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes.