Spanakopita

I recently taught this at my Greek class.  We made small pies as they don’t take as long to make.  This recipe works just as well for one big pie – layer your dish with filo, fill it and then cover with several more layers (butter/olive oil in between).  The pics are from one I made at home with the same recipe.  Enjoy.

Spanakopitiaki or Small Spinach Pies

14-16 small pies:

1-2 Tblspn olive oil for brushing the filo

½ finely diced onion

1 bunch spinach, washed and leaves removed from the stem and finely sliced.

1 cup crumbled feta

½ cup cottage cheese

1 egg

1 Tblspn dill

½ cup cooked long grain white rice (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

8+ sheets filo pastry

Method:

• Wash and prepare spinach and finely slice. Place in a bowl.
• Add onion, feta, cottage cheese, salt and pepper, dill, and rice (if using)
• Add egg and mix together well
• At this stage you should have a nice spoonable mixture to place on your filo pastry.
• Take a sheet of filo and slice it in half length ways
• Brush one half of the sheets with olive oil and then lay the other half on top
• Take a spoonful of your spinach mixture and place it at the bottom left corner of your filo strip. Fold the left corner over the mixture.Then take the right corner and fold upwards. Repeat until you have folded into a neat triangle. Brush with olive oil and set on a baking paper lined tray.
• Repeat with leaves of filo until all of your mixture is used up

Bakel at 180°C for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve with a greek salad and tzatziki.