SPANAKOPITA (CULINARY QUICKIES EP 1)

Описание: RECIPE
Prep: 40 min (less with a food processor)
Bake time: 20-25 min
Temp: 375° F
Yield: 48-60 small triangles suitable as a snack or as hors d'oeuvre
Tools and equipment:
Scale (optional), Measuring spoons and cup,
Colander, Large bowl, Spatula or spoon for mixing
Cutting board, Chef’s or Santoku knife
2-3 half-sheet baking pans and silpats/baking mats or parchment paper
Two tea cloths and plastic wrap
Medium bowl for butter and oil mixture
Pastry brush for spreading butter and oil over pastry sheets, though fingers will
do in a pinch
Cooling rack

FILLING INGREDIENTS
1¼ lb fresh finely chopped baby spinach (Recommended. However regular de-
stemmed spinach will do, or 30 oz of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained,
and squeezed of liquid until it is no longer dripping.)
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c chopped fresh dill or 1½ tbsp. dried dill
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp dried mint
1/4 c chopped fresh oregano or 1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp lemon zest (about 1½ large lemons)
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
16 oz (1½-1¾ cup) feta crumbled (Sheep’s milk feta in brine is best, but if not
available, use a combination of cotija and feta.)
1 1/3 cup labneh (If not available, use greek or whole milk yogurt drained for several
hours in cheesecloth.)
2 whole eggs, beaten

PASTRY INGREDIENTS
1 1 lb box (17"x12") phyllo sheets
(If the phyllo is frozen, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Trying to
hurry the thaw will result in condensation on the sheets, causing them to stick
together. typically, phyllo dough is sold in boxes of two packages. Check
the servings per container listing before you buy.)
1 c (2 sticks) melted butter
2 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°
Line 2 half-sheets/baking sheets with mats/parchment paper.

Preparing the filling:
1. If using thawed frozen spinach, squeeze all excess moisture out of spinach
until it’s no longer dripping water.
If using fresh spinach, gather/roll the leaves into a tight bundle and
chiffonade/chop to fine strands. (DO NOT MINCE! You can use a food
processor, but the texture produced by chopping the spinach by hand is
preferable to the mush-like texture a food processor will produce.)
2. Chop onions, green onions, garlic, and herbs finely and zest lemon,
adding all to spinach.
3. Add dried spices and seasonings to spinach.
4. Add crumbled feta, labneh, and beaten eggs to spinach mixture and stir to
evenly disperse all ingredients.

Preparing the pastry:
5. Place a clean damp tea towel or non-terry cloth dish towel on your work
surface and cover with plastic wrap.
(Dry your hands and take care not to dampen phyllo sheets or they will stick
to one another. If some of your sheets tear, just patch them together. It will all
work out, but be gentle!)
6. Open one package of phyllo sheets and unroll atop plastic wrap. Cover
with a second sheet of plastic wrap and then top with another
damp towel. (Keep the sheets from drying out, but at the same time, prevent
them from getting wet or they will dissolve and stick together.)
7. Working one sheet at a time, draw back the plastic and damp towel covering
the stack of phyllo sheets and remove a sheet to a clean and
DRY surface. Brush the sheet lightly and quickly with the melted butter and olive
oil. (Be gentle, otherwise you’ll tear the sheet. If it tears,
simply overlap the edges of the tears and puzzle the sheet together.)
8. Remove a second sheet and place lightly on the first (now buttered) sheet.
Cover the stack before brushing this second sheet with
the butter and oil mixture. You don’t have to get every little spot.
9. Score/cut the buttered and layered rectangle of dough lengthwise into 3 or 4
long strips of the same width.

Assembling the Spanakopita:
10. Place a tablespoon of spinach mixture on the bottom of each strip of phyllo.
11. Fold a corner of each strip up and over the spinach mixture to make a
triangle cover.
12. Now fold the triangle straight up, tucking the spinach in. Don’t worry that it
squeezes out, it will turn out fine.
13. Next, fold the triangle across the strip, keeping a triangle shape and aligning
the sides.
14. Continue the above 3 steps until you reach the end and tuck any excess
around the triangle spinach filled pastry you have just made!
This process is similar to folding a flag. Butter, fill, and fold, until all sheets are
used. You are likely to have spinach filling left over. You
can save and fill more phyllo or use it to stuff fish or chicken!
15. Once the triangles are placed with ends tucked under on the baking
sheets and the tops brushed with a little more of the butter mixture, place them in
the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 min., by which time they should
be puffy and golden brown.
16. Remove to a cooling rack.
17. Enjoy!