Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 pounds spinach, washed and drained
- 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 pound filo pastry sheets
Directions
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.)
Variation: Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, and spread 6 sheets of filo, brushing each with butter, on the bottom. Spoon the spinach filling over the filo, then cover with 6 more sheets of filo, buttering each sheet. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.
















Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 31 reviews
By branfordcook
on May 26, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Very good; made this dish for supper last night combined with a recipe in a cookbook I purchased in Greece but with all measurements in kilos or teacups. In that cookbook, recipe called for 2 kilos spinach which I think is around 2 lbs. and 1 teacup finely chopped dill. So the only change I made here was to add 1/2 cup of the dill. Went great w/olive oil, garlic, lemon juice marinated grilled chicken.
By joshthehoosier
Chicago, IL
on April 24, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Some helpful hints: keep the melted butter on top of hot water to keep it melted, frozen spinach works just as well as fresh and is much easier to work with, extra seasoning (salt and pepper needed to your taste, and fresh dill added really makes spanakopita pop. Also, I think the better spanokopita's I have had in my life have had much more lemon and cheese. Good starting point though, minor tweaks make this sooo much better, I wrote about it on my blog posted on my profile name.
By cioneill
Kansas City, MO
on November 23, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Fantastic! I hadn't worked with filo dough before, but followed instructions in recipe and on box closely, and had very few broken filo strips. I used a rounded teaspoon of filling for each triangle and ended up with some extra filo (I think I only used 2/3 of a pound. Don't skimp on the salt/pepper - I added more in the later batches.
Read all 31 reviews