Spinach Pita With Phyllo Pastry Food

EASY GREEK SPINACH PIE FOR BEGINNERS (SPANAKOPITA)

Steps:

• If you choose to prepare this Greek spinach pie recipe with commercial phyllo dough, it is important to thaw completely the phyllo dough by putting it in the fridge from the previous day. For the beginners at working with phyllo, check the handling tips before start making the spanakopita.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• To prepare this spinach pie recipe, sauté the onions in a large knob of butter until soft and turning golden. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook until wilted. Cool, then tip into a bowl (leaving behind any excess liquid from the spinach) and mix in the nutmeg, feta, eggs, spring onion and season. This will be the filling of the spanakopita.
• For this spinach pie recipe you will need a non stick baking pan, about 20-22cm. Put the first sheet of filo in the pan and brush with butter, letting the excess hang over the sides. Keep going with the rest of the sheets, turning a little before adding each additional pastry sheet and brushing all over with butter. When all the pastry is used up, tip in the filling of the spanakopita and fold over the excess pastry to cover. If you like to prepare a larger pan of spanakopita for a big crowd, double the ingredients for the filling and use a 25*35 cm baking dish. Layer the 4-5 phyllo sheets to form the bottom of the spanakopita, tip in the filling and top with 4-5 more phyllo sheets.
• Butter the top of the spinach pie with melted butter and scar with a sharp knife. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the filo is crisp and golden.
• Leave the spanakopita cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve the spinach pie with Greek feta salad. 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.

SPINACH IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the butter in a saute pan and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the onion mixture, scallions, Gruyere, Parmesan, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and pignolis. Mix well.
• Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the spinach mixture in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash. Roll out the second piece of puff pastry on a floured board until it's an inch larger in each direction. Place the second sheet of pastry over the spinach and seal the edges, crimping them with a fork. Brush the top with egg wash but don't let it drip down the sides or the pastry won't rise. Make three small slits in the pastry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned. Transfer to a cutting board and serve hot.

SPINACH PHYLLO HAND PIE

Steps:

• Melt 1 stick of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and stir. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let the mixture thicken for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream cheese and Parmesan and mix until smooth. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is fully wilted. Set the mixture to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt the remaining 1 stick butter in a small saucepan. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• On a clean work surface, halve and trim the phyllo sheets into 18 rectangular pieces (5 1/3 inches by 9 inches). Layer 3 phyllo sheets, brushing the top of each layer with melted butter. (Cover the remaining phyllo dough with plastic wrap and a damp cloth to keep from drying out.) Place 1/4 cup of the filling about 1 inch from the bottom of the phyllo rectangle. Fold the corner of the phyllo dough over the filling, creating a triangular filled pocket. Continue to fold, keeping the triangle shape, until completely sealed. Place it sealed-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling until you have 6 hand pies.
• Brush the top of the phyllo triangles with the remaining butter and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SPANAKOPITA PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add oregano and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add spinach; cook 3 minutes longer or until liquid is evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl; cool., Add feta cheese and eggs to spinach mixture; mix well. Unfold puff pastry. Spread each sheet with half the spinach mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style. Cut each into twelve 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on greased baking sheets., Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

SPANAKOPITA BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix egg, spinach and cheeses. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter., Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared pan; brush with butter. Layer with 7 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Spread top with spinach mixture. Top with remaining phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter., Freeze, covered, 30 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1-in. squares. Bake 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers.

SPINACH & FETA SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest. Squeeze out the thawed spinach well and add to the pan, stirring well to break it down, and stir to warm it through. Spoon the spinach into a bowl, stir in the feta and season to taste.
• Lay out a sheet of phyllo and brush evenly with the melted butter. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top and brush it with butter. With a knife or pastry wheel cut the pastry into 6 strips, starting from a long side. Spoon a little of the filling at the base of each strip. Fold the phyllo strips into triangles starting at the end with the filling, sealing in the filling as you fold up each triangle. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling. Brush the pastries with eggwash and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Serve the pastries warm. Alternatively, the pastries can be assembled and chilled until ready to bake.

SPINACH PITA WITH PHYLLO PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Put frozen spinach in enough water to cover it and bring to boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then squeeze to remove the excess liquid.
• Transfer spinach in a large mixing bowl.
• Add cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs and mix until blended.
• Brush with butter 13 x 9" baking pan.
• Unroll thowed phyllo pastry. Measure how much pastry is needed in lenght for the baking pan, and cut the excess.
• Lay one sheet of pastry in and brush lightly with melted butter. Top with 7 more phyllo sheets, brushing each one lightly with butter.
• Spread 1/3 spinach mixture over the layered phyllo.
• Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each one with butter and spread another 1/3 spinach mixture.
• Repeat one more time, spreading the last 1/3 of spinach mixture and topping it with last 8 sheets, brushing the top sheet.
• Bake for 1 hour. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Cut the squares and serve warm.

SPINACH AND PEPPER PITA PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pitas on a baking sheet. Top with spinach, peppers, and cheese, dividing evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

SPINACH AND FETA PITA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread tomato pesto onto one side of each pita bread and place them pesto-side up on a baking sheet. Top pitas with tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, feta cheese, and Parmesan cheese; drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pita breads are crisp, about 12 minutes. Cut pitas into quarters.

BOSNIAN PITA (PHYLLO PIE) WITH SPINACH FILLING

Steps:

• WASH HANDS (This recipe requires you to work with the food directly with your hands).
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Wash and drain spinach.
• Chop spinach and put in a big glass bowl.
• Add salt and mix with hands.
• Leave the spinach to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water from the vegetable.
• The water in spinach will make the filling bitter so do not skip this step.
• Drain the spinach by either sqeezing it bit by bit with your hand over the sink or by spinning several times in a salad spinner.
• Transfer drained spinach into a new bowl.
• Add egg, and sour cream.
• Fold in feta and cheddar cheese.
• Put some olive oil in a small bowl.
• Grease a 9"*13" glass or metal baking pan.
• Take your phyllo dough sheets and lie the sheets, stacked, on a dry surface.
• TIP: (While adding the filling, you may wish to cover the dough with a dry towel and then a damp one to keep it from drying out or flaking) Place one sheet of dough into the pan and cut away excess.
• Brush with oil, using either your hands or a pastry brush.
• Repeat until dough is 6 or 7 layers.
• Add a skim of filling with hands and spread evenly.
• Repeat steps 16-18 until the pie reaches the top of the pan or you run out of ingredients.
• Just make sure you finish with the dough on top, sort of like lasagna.
• Place pie in the oven, uncovered, about 45 minutes.
• The top becomes flaky.
• Pour on top of the pie while it is baking, 1/4 cup sour cream blended with 0.125 cup of milk.
• Bake for 15 more minutes.
• This dish can be served warm or room temperature.
• It is traditionally served with a yogurt beverage which is easily replicated by mixing the plain yogurt with milk, in equal parts.