Spanakopita
(Courtesy of Denise Demarest)
1 pkg filo dough, thawed
1 stick unsalted butter (¼ cup)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 boxes frozen chopped spinach
1 lb feta cheese, crumbled
½ lb cottage or pot cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1 large onion, diced
2 bunches scallions, sliced
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped or 2 Tbs dried dill
2 Tbs dried mint
Melt together the butter and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
Thaw, drain and squeeze dry 3 boxes of frozen chopped spinach. In a large bowl, combine spinach, feta, cottage cheese, 2/3 cup olive oil, eggs, onion, scallions, dill and mint. Mix well with hands and set aside.
Brush the bottom of a cookie sheet with the melted butter/olive oil combination. One sheet at a time, layer the filo on to the cookie sheet, brushing with the butter/oil combination for each layer. Continue until you have used half the box of filo. Keep unused filo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
Evenly spread the spinach/cheese filling over the filo, then cover with another sheet of filo and assemble the top crust the same was as the bottom, brushing each filo layer with butter/oil. Tuck in the sides, or trim the edges and butter the top layer.
Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until it sets firmly. Remove from the fridge, and score through the top layer in diamond shapes according to the portion sizes you want.
Wrap cookie sheet tightly in plastic wrap, then cover tightly with foil. Freeze until solid.
To cook, preheat oven to 400°F but do not thaw the spanakopita. Remove foil and plastic wrap from the frozen spanakopita and bake for 1 hour or until done. Cut through the bottom crust to separate portions, and serve warm or lukewarm.
Alternate preparation:
2 boxes filo dough
Recipe as above
Brush one sheet of filo dough with oil/butter and layer a second sheet on top of the first, brushing it with oil/butter as well. Cut filo into long strips, approximately 3” by 12” long, depending on the size of the filo sheets.
Drop a tablespoonful of filling at one end of each strip, and fold the filo over the filling into triangle shapes, using the flag fold technique. Place the triangle packet on a cookie sheet and brush the top with the oil/butter combination.
Cover the cookie sheet tightly with plastic wrap, then with foil. Freeze spanakopita triangles until frozen solid, then transfer to a Ziploc bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Keep frozen until ready to cook.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange spanakopita triangles in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake in oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
When done, transfer to a baker’s rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature. Yields about 8 dozen.
For Bourek (cigars), prepare filo as for triangles except cut it into two long strips instead of three. Add 1 ½ Tbs of filling at the end, and roll up like cigars, tucking in the ends of the filo as you roll. Bake at 375° for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown.
1 pkg filo dough, thawed
1 stick unsalted butter (¼ cup)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 boxes frozen chopped spinach
1 lb feta cheese, crumbled
½ lb cottage or pot cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1 large onion, diced
2 bunches scallions, sliced
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped or 2 Tbs dried dill
2 Tbs dried mint
Melt together the butter and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
Thaw, drain and squeeze dry 3 boxes of frozen chopped spinach. In a large bowl, combine spinach, feta, cottage cheese, 2/3 cup olive oil, eggs, onion, scallions, dill and mint. Mix well with hands and set aside.
Brush the bottom of a cookie sheet with the melted butter/olive oil combination. One sheet at a time, layer the filo on to the cookie sheet, brushing with the butter/oil combination for each layer. Continue until you have used half the box of filo. Keep unused filo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
Evenly spread the spinach/cheese filling over the filo, then cover with another sheet of filo and assemble the top crust the same was as the bottom, brushing each filo layer with butter/oil. Tuck in the sides, or trim the edges and butter the top layer.
Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until it sets firmly. Remove from the fridge, and score through the top layer in diamond shapes according to the portion sizes you want.
Wrap cookie sheet tightly in plastic wrap, then cover tightly with foil. Freeze until solid.
To cook, preheat oven to 400°F but do not thaw the spanakopita. Remove foil and plastic wrap from the frozen spanakopita and bake for 1 hour or until done. Cut through the bottom crust to separate portions, and serve warm or lukewarm.
Alternate preparation:
2 boxes filo dough
Recipe as above
Brush one sheet of filo dough with oil/butter and layer a second sheet on top of the first, brushing it with oil/butter as well. Cut filo into long strips, approximately 3” by 12” long, depending on the size of the filo sheets.
Drop a tablespoonful of filling at one end of each strip, and fold the filo over the filling into triangle shapes, using the flag fold technique. Place the triangle packet on a cookie sheet and brush the top with the oil/butter combination.
Cover the cookie sheet tightly with plastic wrap, then with foil. Freeze spanakopita triangles until frozen solid, then transfer to a Ziploc bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Keep frozen until ready to cook.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange spanakopita triangles in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake in oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
When done, transfer to a baker’s rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature. Yields about 8 dozen.
For Bourek (cigars), prepare filo as for triangles except cut it into two long strips instead of three. Add 1 ½ Tbs of filling at the end, and roll up like cigars, tucking in the ends of the filo as you roll. Bake at 375° for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown.
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