Spinach Pie (Spanakopita)
makes about 30 trianglesINGREDIENTS
3 pounds frozen spinach
1 large onion, medium chop
5 scallions, small chop
2 Tablespoons oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, medium chop
1/4 cup fresh dill, small chop
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground sage
4 Tablespoons sherry, optional
5 eggs
3/4 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste
1 pound package of frozen phyllo dough
1 stick butter, meltedDIRECTIONS
Defrost frozen spinach in microwave. Heat large skillet, add oil and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add scallions, parsley, dill, oregano, sage and sauté an additional 3-4 minutes. Add sherry, if using, and reduce in vegetables until most of liquid has evaporated. Add spinach and cook just until heated. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and let cool.
Once the spinach has cooled to room temperature; add the eggs, Feta cheese, parmesan, garlic, nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and begin to prepare phyllo dough for stuffing.
Keep unused phyllo dough covered at all times with first a clean, dry towel and cover this towel with a clean, moist towel. This step preserves the moisture in the dough. If you do not do this, the dough will turn dry, flaky and difficult to work with. Place one sheet of phyllo on work surface and brush lightly with butter. Top this sheet with two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet. Cut the buttered sheets in half lengthwise and then cut each remaining sheet into 3 equal strips, approximately one inch wide. Spoon a teaspoon of spinach mixture on one end of each phyllo strip. Make a triangle by folding the right hand corner to the opposite side as you would fold a flag.
Continue this sequence until the phyllo strip is used entirely. Brush with melted butter to keep triangle closed. Repeat process until all the spinach mixture and phyllo dough has been used. At this point the triangles can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. They can be baked from the frozen state without thawing out.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place phyllo triangles on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush top of each piece with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
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