When I lived in Dayton, Ohio, my son’s godmother, Georgina also from Cyprus and I cater our well to do neighborhood. One of our signature menu items was Spanakopita. Well received, and very tasteful. So much fun! Now, let’s make mini triangle Spanakopita.
Spanakopita
- 2 Apolo filo boxes
- 1 lb feta cheese
- 2 frozen chopped organic spinach 9 to 10oz, thaw, drain and squeezed dry
- A bunch of green onions, chopped
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
- Fresh dill
- butter
- 16 oz butter
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan until hot, add the green onions, dill, and spinach keep mixing for a few minutes. Cool off the vegetables, and in the meantime in a separate bowl, add the feta and ricotta cheese, lightly beat the eggs and mix them with the cheese. Mix the cheeses, eggs, and vegetable in a bowl. Make sure the vegetables have cooled off before you mix them with the cheese and eggs.
Start melting a stick of butter, on a clean surface lay down your phyllo dough and cover it with a damp towel so that it doesn’t dry out. Take out one sheet at a time, brush it with the butter. Lay another phyllo sheet and brush it with more butter. Now using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in 4 pieces lengthwise. It’s about 3 1/2 inches x 4 pieces. Next place a large spoon of the filling at the end of each strip. Fold like you would a flag, fold the end at an angle over the filling to form a triangle. Do it quickly because the phyllo dough dries very quickly. Keep your phyllo dough moist with a damp towel.
Continue forming triangles until you finish all your phyllo dough. When completed transfer them on a cookie sheet. Brush each triangle with an egg yoke. I use a couple of egg yolk and add a small amount of water 2 tbsp mix and brush the top of the triangles.
Bake at 350 F Degree 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. It’s dainty! 2 boxes should make around 80 pieces.
By the way, you can freeze the Spanakopita. An appetizer served with wine.
You could be creative and use:
- 1 lb or 5 oz spinach, washed and trimmed, and steam the spinach
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Crumble Feta cheese or graded halloumi cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Use three Phyllo (filo) pastry cut up in a triangle.
- 3 tbsp butter, melted, lightly butter each sheet
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
Preparation
- brush each Phyllo (filo) pastry with warm butter
- lay another sheet on top and brush with warm butter
- repeat one more time
- Add the mixed ingredients and repeat 3 more times the phyllo and brush with warm butter each Phyllo.
- Brush the top triangles with beaten egg, sprinkle with white sesame seeds (5) place on the lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
You could make Spanakopita by rolling them instead of making them into triangles.
Filo is made from flour, water and typically a small amount of oil or vinegar, although some recipes also use egg yolk.
