Spanakopita & Food Bloggers LA February Meeting

Spanakopita

Makes 24 Spanakopita

375 degrees F

Filo: About ½ pound
For Brushing Filo: 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
2 pounds fresh spinach with stems removed
(or)
2 packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped (including green tops)
½ pound (8 ounces) feta cheese
½ bunch fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 ½ teaspoons fresh dill weed, chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. If you are using fresh spinach, wash leaves and dry thoroughly, then chop into small pieces. If you are using frozen chopped spinach, drain thoroughly and squeeze our excess moisture with hands, then in paper towels.

2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the green onions and sauté until soft. Add the spinach and cook for a few minutes, stirring and breaking up clumps. If fresh spinach was used, drain completely in colander and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, crumble the feta cheese with your fingers or a fork. Mix in the parsley, garlic, dill weed and pepper. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly. Transfer from pot to medium bowl.

4. Prepare your holding sheet pan by covering with a layer of plastic wrap.

5. Cut filo into 3 ½-inch wide strips lengthwise. Discard any excess. Place stacked up strips on a flat surface (I used a big cutting board), cover with plastic wrap and over that, a damp kitchen towel. Don’t let the towel touch the filo or it will get soggy.

6. On an adjacent flat surface (I used another large cutting board), place 2 strips from the stack and lay them out one on top of the other. Lightly brush the top strip with butter. Place about 1 ½ tablespoon of filling at the bottom of the strip. Fold the lower right hand corner of the filo to the left edge, forming a triangle over the filling. Continue folding from left to right until you reach the midway point. Brush the pastry again with a little butter and continue folding to the end. Brush the entire outside of the triangle with more butter and place seam side down on the plastic wrap.

7. When the sheet is covered with triangles, place another sheet of plastic wrap over them, and put more triangles on top. Triangles may be held in the refrigerator for up to two hours before baking. Or freeze on sheet pan, then freeze in plastic container.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Triangles are baked on a double pan covered with parchment paper.

9. Place 12 triangles on parchment covered pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly and carefully peel parchment from triangles.