Spanakopita / Greek Spinach Pie (Step by Step Procedure)

Spanakopita is Greek Savory Pastry. The filling is made of Spinach, Feta cheese, onions, green onions and seasonings. The filling is wrapped in Phyllo pastry with butter and olive oil. Once I had the frozen Spankopita in Sams Club. From then I wanted to try this and here goes the recipe for this simple starter..

Time of Preparation : 1 hour
No of Servings : 10 to 14 pieces

Ingredients:

• Spinach – 2 bunches / 8 cups approximately
• Feta cheese – 8 oz (crumbled)
• Onions – 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
• Green onions – 1 bunch (finely chopped)
• Garlic – 3 cloves (finely chopped)
• Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup
• Parsley (dried) – 1 tsp
• Pepper (freshly ground) – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste (need only little as feta cheese already salt)
• Butter – 1/4 cup
• Olive oil – 1/4 cup
• Phyllo Sheets – 20

Method of Preparation:

1. First take out the phyllo sheets from the freezer and keep it outside for 2 hours.
2. In the meantime, chop the spinach, wash and steam it.
3. Drain the excess water and keep it aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and sautee the onions followed by the garlic and green onions.
5. Fry for 3 minutes and then add the spinach.
6. Mix well and add the dried parsley, pepper powder and coriander leaves.
7. Turn of the heat. Mix butter and feta cheese in a bowl.
8. Now combine the cooked spinach to the cheese.
9. Take a phyllo sheet and brush it with olive oil.
10. Keep another phyllo sheet on top of it and brush it with olive oil again.
11. Do this by keeping 4 phyllo sheets.
12. Now cut the phyllo sheet vertically in the center and dive into 2 halves.
13. Now keep around 1 1/2 tbsp of spinach feta mixture in a corner of the phyllo sheet.
14. Roll it like triangle (as shown in the pic) till the end.
15. Repeat this process for the other half of the phyllo sheet.
16. Two triangles are ready.
17. Now repeat the process for 5 sets (4 sheets each set) of phyllo sheets.
18. We will get 10 triangles.
19. Preheat the oven to 350 F and keep the triangles in the center of the oven.
20. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
21. Spanakopitas are ready.

Note:

• Do not keep the phyllo sheets open outside else they will become dry.
• We can give any variation by adding egg to the feat or adding fresh herbs.
• We can keep little less stuffing and make more triangles.