Spanakopitakia Little Spinach Pies Food

GREEK SPINACH PIES (SPANAKOPITA) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
• In a large pan over medium heat, cook the green onions and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
• Add half the spinach, giving time for some to cook down before adding the rest.
• Once the spinach has cooked down, transfer to a medium mixing bowl to cool slightly.
• Add the feta, ricotta, egg, dill, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix until evenly spread.
• Set in refrigerator.
• Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough on a dry surface. Using a pastry brush, coat evenly with olive oil.
• Add another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the oiled sheet and repeat the oiling process. Continue until there is a stack of 4 oiled sheets. Repeat process on a new stack with remaining 4 sheets.
• Cut your dough into 4 sections using a pizza cutter.
• With a single section, add a spoonful of your spinach mix and begin folding over your pastry, brushing each fold with oil. Repeat this process for the remaining sections.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Enjoy!

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.

SPANAKOPITAKIA (LITTLE SPINACH PIES)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing, 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 onion and saute until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the spinach to the scallions and onions, along with the dill, 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 beaten eggs into the cooled spinach mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
• Unroll the phyllo 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 phyllo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel.
• One by one, use a pastry brush to brush a strip of phyllo 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 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter, on the bottom, staggering the edges around the pan.
• Spoon the spinach filling over the phyllo, then cover with 8 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet.
• Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Careful not to cut all the way through.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is deep-golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
• Note: All or part of the butter can be replaced in this recipe with olive oil.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH TRIANGLES OR PIE)

Steps:

• 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.)

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium heated saute pan, add butter (all except 6 tablespoons), onion, and scallion. Cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a sauce pot, boil spinach in water until tender. Strain and pat dry until all water is out. In a large mixing bowl, mix spinach, onion-scallion mixture, parsley and dill together. Add cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add back into sauce pot and boil for five minutes. Place aside.
• Moisten filo dough one by one with the remaining butter (melted) with pastry brush. In a baking pan, add five layers of dough to bottom. Next, add spinach mixture. Spread evenly. Add another five layers of dough on top, tucking in corners. Place in oven and bake for approximately one hour.

LEEK SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a pastry brush, brush bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with oil. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup water over medium-high. Working in batches, add spinach and cook, tossing, until completely wilted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, pressing out as much water as possible. Return skillet to heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add leeks and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in nutmeg. Transfer spinach and leek mixture to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Cut phyllo sheets to fit baking dish. Place 1 sheet in dish (keeping remaining sheets covered with a damp towel) and brush lightly with oil. Stack 7 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with oil. Spread half the spinach mixture over phyllo and evenly sprinkle half the feta on top. Add 8 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with oil. Spread with remaining spinach mixture and feta. Top with remaining 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each with oil.
• Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp on top, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP'S SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F In a saute' pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Saute the onions until golden in color. Add scallions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, dill, salt & pepper. Stir in spinach. Blend thoroughly. Remove from heat and cool before proceeding further.
• Place cooled spinach mixture in electric mixing bowl using the paddle (or large bowl if mixer is unavailable). On low speed, add eggs, one at a time. Add feta, and cream cheese (in chunks).Mix well, but do not over mix.
• Carefully unroll phyllo sheets. Place 9x13x2 casserole dish over phyllo and using sharp knife, cut phyllo to fit pan. Grease bottom and sides of casserole pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place 8-10 sheets of phyllo, one sheet at a time on bottom of pan, spraying each sheet individually with cooking spray (while layering). Add spinach mixture, spreading out evenly over phyllo sheets. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, again, spraying each sheet with cooking spray as was done for the bottom of pan.
• Brush on the melted butter over top of casserole. With a sharp pointed knife, score the top layers of phyllo into serving portions. (triangle shape is traditional). Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes. Watch phyllo for burning. Color should be a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes before serving.