Spanakopita Triangles (using Frozen spinach)

Blogging Marathon# 60: Week 2/ Day 3

Theme: Take-Away dishes from Metropulos, Santa Barbara

Dish: Spanakopita Triangles (with frozen spinach and no egg)

For the final day of this week's BM, I made these addictive Spanakopita. It is a very popular savory baked Greek pastry. Filling made with spinach, onion & feta is enclosed in a flaky filo/ phyllo pastry and then baked till golden. This has been on my to-try list for a very long time and I'm glad I can now strike it off of my list :-)

Filo sheets are a little difficult to work with. They are temperamental and if not treated properly they tend to tear apart. So make sure to keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel or paper towels to avoid that. My filo sheets came out of the box with rips, but once I buttered, layered and folded them, they looked just fine. So don't worry if your sheets start ripping, just keep going and all will be well in the end, you just have to trust me on this :-)

The spinach and feta cheese filling was so good that I couldn't stop eating tasting it right from the pan. Fresh dill adds a nice flavor to the filling.

These are best when eaten hot or warm. Unbaked spanakopitas can be frozen for up to 2 months (place them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet, freeze until solid. Then transfer into a ziploc bag and store in the freezer). Bake frozen ones a little longer.

Spanakopita Triangles
Ingredients:

• 12 Sheets Filo/ Phyllo Pastry sheets
• 3tbsp Butter, melted
• 3tbsp Olive oil, divided
• 1 Small Onion, finely diced
• 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• 4 Green Onions, finely chopped
• 10oz. Frozen Spinach, thawed
• 1tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped
• 1tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
• ¼cup Feta Cheese
• 2tbsp Ricotta Cheese
• To taste Salt & Pepper
• ¼tsp Nutmeg, freshly ground

Method:

1. Prep Filo/ Phyllo Sheets: Thaw the sheets according to package directions. Keep them covered until ready to use.
2. Make the Filling: Heat 1tbsp oil in a skillet, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes or until fragrant.
3. Next add the chopped green onions and cook till wilted about 2~3 minutes.
4. Squeeze all the extra moisture from the thawed spinach and stir into the onion mixture. Cook for 3~4 minutes.
5. Add the ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs and cook for another minute or so.
6. Turn off the heat and add feta cheese and ricotta. Mix well and set aside to cool a little.
7. Make Spanakopita: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep ready.
8. In a small bowl, combine melted butter and olive oil.
9. On a clean work surface, place 1 filo sheet, brush with the butter mixture and gently place 1 more layer of filo on top. Brush with butter and place the 3rd filo sheet on top. Brush the top with oil.
10. Cut the filo lengthwise into 3 equal pieces.
11. Place 1tbsp spinach mixture on one corner of the filo strip. Fold the filo over the filling encasing it and forming a triangle. Fold it over upwards to make another triangle. Keep folding like a flag till the very end. Brush a little bit of butter mixture to the edge to make it stick to the pastry. Brush both sides of the pastry with the butter mixture and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets.
12. Bake for 18~20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot and Enjoy!!

 

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 60.