Cheesy Spanakopita Food

MUSHROOM-GOAT CHEESE SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic, shallot and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until very tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the goat cheese; season with salt and let cool.
• Lay out 1 phyllo sheet, butter liberally and fold in half to form a rectangle. Butter again and fold in half again to form a skinnier rectangle. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, placing a towel over the prepared sheets to prevent them from drying out.
• Pile the mushroom and spinach mixture on one end of each phyllo rectangle. Fold up one corner of the dough over the filling to form a triangle and continue to fold (like a flag), buttering between each fold. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH AND CHEESE PIE)

Steps:

• Mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese, onion, parsley, dill and salt.
• Add beaten agges and combine well.
• Brush bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with the softened butter.
• Unfold the filo leaves and cut in half, crosswise.
• Wrap and refreeze one half of the filo.
• Cover the other half of the filo with a damp towel.
• Gently separate one filo leaf from the stack.
• Place it in the baking dish and fold over the edges to fit the bottom of the dish.
• Brush the entire surface of the filo lightly with melted butter.
• Repeat steps 7-9 until you have used half of the filo leaves.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the filo in the dish.
• Layer the remaining filo over the spinach mixture in the same manner as the first half of the filo.
• Cut through the top layers of the filo leaves with a sharp knife, making a diamond pattern (this will make it easier to cut the spanakopita later).
• Cook uncovered until golden, about 35 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH AND CHEESE PIE)

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly butter the inside of the pie plate.
• heat 3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add in the onion, green onion and garlic and saute for about 3-4 minutes or until softened.
• Add/stir in the chopped spinach and parsley; continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the spinach is limp; remove from heat and cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended.
• Add in ricotta cheese and feta, then add to the spinach mixture; mix to combine with a wooden spoon.
• Season the mixture with salt and black pepper (at this point I add in about 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, but that is optional).
• Layer 4 sheets of thawed phyllo dough into prepared pie plate, brushing each layer with melted butter or oil (to prevent drying out, follow the instructions on the phyllo dough package).
• Pour the spinach mixture on top of the dough.
• Repeat the layers of phyllo dough.
• Tuck the overhanging dough into the pie plate and crimp edges.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.

CHEESY SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• If using fresh spinach: cook the cleaned spinach in a large pan, covered, for about 3-5 minutes or until tender (do not add water!).
• Drain well and chop coarsely.
• Put in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your mixer.
• If using frozen spinach: using your hands, squeeze the thawed spinach to remove as much moisture as possible.
• Put in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your mixer.
• Add the remaining ingredients through and including the black pepper to the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Set aside.
• Get out a large 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
• Unroll the phyllo onto a slightly damp kitchen towel, cover with a piece of plastic then another towel (you need to keep the phyllo from drying out while you work with it or you will have phyllo crumbs).
• Brush the entire interior surface of the pan with the olive oil/butter mixture.
• Place one sheet of phyllo into the pan.
• If it is too big, don't worry- just fold over the excess edges into pan.
• Brush with butter/oil.
• Continue until you have 5 sheets of phyllo.
• Carefully spread 1/4 of the spinach mixture on top.
• Continue layering the phyllo, buttering each sheet, and the spinach, making sure you end up with at least 4 layers of phyllo on top.
• Brush the top with the remaining butter/oil, then bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until golden brown.
• Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
• Serve with creme fraiche or sour cream on the side.
• This dish tastes better the next day, so you can make it ahead and cook it the day you plan to serve it.
• Is good hot or room temperature; Freezes very well; No need to thaw prior to reheating.

SPANAKOPITA ( SPINACH CHEESE PHYLLO)

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter; add onion and cook 5 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until moisture has evaporated.
• Remove from heat; stir in cheeses, egg, and seasonings; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Melt remaining butter.
• Place one phyllo sheet lengthwise on waxed paper.
• Brush phyllo lightly with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs.
• Place another phyllo sheet on top, brush with butter and sprinkle again with crumbs.
• Spread half the filling ( about 3/4 cup)along lengthwise edge of phyllo.
• With both hands lift waxed paper and roll from lengthwise edge, jelly-roll fashion.
• Place seam-side down onto a cookie sheet;press each end to seal.
• Brush top with butter and cut gashes in top of roll at 1 inch intervals.
• Make second roll with remaining ingredients.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• * Can be made ahead up to this point. Cool, wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, unwrap and heat in 400°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes).
• While warm cut into 1 inch slices, using gashes as a guide.

GREEK SPINACH & HERB PIE (WITHOUT CHEESE) A.K.A. SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Coarsely chop spinach and place in a colander. Salt lightly and let drain for 10 minutes. Press or squeeze to remove all excess liquid.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach, dill, parsley, garlic, onions, leek, pepper, and mix well until ingredients are well blended.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spray 9" round or square pyrex plate with cooking spray. When laying the sheets in the pan, leave an overlap of phyllo outside the pan rim all the way around. Lay half the phyllo sheets on the bottom, spraying each one lightly with Pam cooking spray.
• Spoon in the spinach mixture and spread evenly. Fold the extending phyllo in over the mixture. Lay the remaining phyllo sheets on top, spraying each with cooking oil except the top sheet. Tuck or tim eadges. I like to kind of ruffle mine.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45-50 minutes in the middle of the oven. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool 1/2 hour before serving.