Fresh Spanakopita

I’ve revisited my recipe for spanakopita and made some changes to the ingredients and method.  I love the use of fresh spinach and the copious amounts of butter just make these ridiculously flaky.  I make these ahead of time and freeze them so that I have them ready to go when we’re entertaining – especially during the holiday season.  Everyone likes a good spanakopita – it’s worth the extra effort.  

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups packed spinach leaves
• 1 lb. fillo dough (16-20 sheets or double, depending on the width of your package), defrosted
• 1/2 lb. feta cheese
• 1/2 bunch scallions, chopped
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Salt to taste
• Approximately 2 sticks of butter, melted

HOW TO MAKE IT

• Rinse your spinach leaves and remove and large stems – dry it thoroughly and then roughly chop it
• Add the chopped garlic, and scallions to the food processor and process until finely chopped
• Add the chopped spinach to the garlic and scallions and process until the spinach is finely chopped – about 10 seconds
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the feta – pulse the mixture 3-5 times for 1 second until everything is well incorporated
• Process the ingredients for about 5 seconds and then pulse the mixture 3 times for 1 second to make sure everything is well combined
• Repeat this process for the other half of the ingredients
• Pour the spinach mixture into a large bowl and add in the olive oil, salt and pepper – taste the mixture to make sure it’s seasoned properly and then add in the beaten egg and totally incorporate it into the mix
• Set the mixture aside
• When I’m ready to start making my triangles, I put the spinach mixture in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to catch any extra water that the spinach might release
• Take your defrosted fillo dough out and unfold it onto a working surface (keep the stack of dough covered with a slightly damp – but not wet! – dishtowel to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle)
• Depending on the dimensions of your sheet, you may need to cut them in half so your sheet has a width of about 7.5 in.
• Take a sheet with the 7.5 in. width and brush it generously with butter
• Then, fold the sheet over into thirds so you’re left with a long strip that’s only 2.5 in. wide – then brush that strip with butter
• Place a little less than1 tbsp of spinach mixture at the end of your fillo strip and roll it up into triangles, like a paper football – or American flag (if you’re like my mom you’ll brush the top of the triangle with a little more butter to make it extra crunchy)
• If your dough seems dry and needs help sticking, brush it with additional butter
• Place the triangle pieces onto a greased or parchment paper lined baking pan
• Bake at 350°F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown
• Makes approximately 32 – 40 pieces