spanakopita
i have used this recipe, taken from the moosewood cookbook, since 1981.
this uses olive oil to brush the filo layers, instead of butter. served with a veggie-laden green salad, it's always a big hit. semi-labor intensive, but well worth the effort.
thanks to blogzie, for this cool idea. cooking is a passion for me. i'm maybe not so passionate about it during the week, but when the weekend arrives, i enjoy it a great deal.
1 1/2 hours to prepare and bake
yield: about 8 servings
FILLING: 1 tbs. olive oil
2 cups minced onion
1/4 tsp. salt, if desired
big pinch basil
big pinch oregano (i use fresh herbs, usually)
2 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, stemmed and finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs. flour
2-3- cups(packed)crumbled feta cheese(about 1lb.)
1 cup cottage cheese
black pepper, to taste
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil, for the filo
1 lb. filo pastry leaves (approx. 20 leaves)-thoroughly defrosted(unwrap just prior to step 5)
1)preheat oven to 375. oil a 9x13-inch baking pan
2) heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a "dutch oven" (those 2 words make me giggle every time, since seeing the film "pecker," (john waters) - i just can't help it.)
anyway-add onions, salt, and herbs and saute about 5 minutes, or until the onions soften. add spinach, turn up the heat and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts(5-8 minutes) stir in the garlic.
3) sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook over medium heat2 to 3 more minutes. remove from heat.
4) place a sheet of filo in the oiled pan, letting the pastry edges climb up the sides. brush lightly with oil, and add another sheet. keep going until you have a pile of 8 oiled sheets. add half the filling, spreading it to the edges, then repeat with 8 more sheets of oiled filo, followed by the remaining filling. layer the rest of the filo over the filling, brushing oil in between. oil the top, tuck in the edges, and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or until golden and crispy.
cut into squares and serve hot or warm.
8 comments:
That is spectacular looking spanakopita. Very inspirational. Thank you for reminding us of this fantastic dish. Yum.
I love spanakopita. I buy mine at trader joes frozen and pop it in the oven. That's the extent of my cooking these days cept I did make a big pot of sausage and prawn gumbo last nite in celebration of Mardi gras. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
I've never had this .. at least I can not remember having it!
Looks good (and boy do I wish there were Trader Joe's in Texas!)
STB
So, tell me, how did I get to the ripe old age of fifty and never hear of Spanakopita?
It’s my new favorite word. It does look labor intensive, but my husband would love it. He’s all about what I call ‘stinky’ cheese. I’ve tried, but I juscan’t do feta. I wonder what I could substitute? I adore cheese but I have my limits.
I’m so uncool.
Thanks for playing Recipe Saturday!
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juscan’t = just can't.
As in: I just can't type.
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I've got to give this to my wife...she loves spanikopita. And all this time I thought it was a bridge covering the River Kopita!
Yum! I now have a 'blog recipes' file in my documents.
Oh yum, I haven't had this dish in a long time. I've become very lazy in the kitchen, unless I'm on vacation or during holidays. I have a great swiss chard soup recipie I'll post. I just gave it to someone in my hypnotherapy class and she is raving about it....blush...I made it up myself.
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