Spanakopita

What is your favorite Greek appetizer?  Spanakopita or Saganaki?  If you ask my wife, she would say Saganaki.  But for me, it is Spanakopita.  I have made this recipe once before.  However, this time I changed it up based on an episode of Diners, Drive-in & Dives I saw.  What they did in this episode for this recipe is to make it more like a spinach pie.  Instead of layering the phyllo and the spinach mixture; the bottom layer, or should I say layers, were phyllo, then a big layer of the spinach mixture, followed by another thick layer of phyllo.  I actually, really like this concept for presentation.

In the execution, and I need some practice, the bottom layer of phyllo was not as crusty as I would like and I would double the spinach mixture next time too.  With that said, this is a great concept and really tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 Package Phyllo dough
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 bunch of green onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 lbs of spinach, thawed
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup of crumbled feta
• 1 stick of butter

Directions:

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Next, saute the onion, green onions and garlic until soft – approximately 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, parsley and cook until the spinach is limp; remove from heat and allow to cool.  In a bowl mix together the eggs, ricotta cheese and crumbled feta.

Stir in spinach mixture.

Separately, melt the butter.  Also, spray/Grease a 9″ x 13′ baking pan.  To begin the assembly, layer the bottom with 2 or 3 sheets of phyllo.  Brush on a generous amount of the butter.

Add a few more layers of phyllo and brush on the oil.   Be sure to extend the sheets a good 1/2″ over the edge of the pan.  Loosely spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo.

Finish by topping the spinach mixture with the rest of the phyllo.  Take 3 or 4 sheets at a time.  Alternate between brushing butter and oil.  Keep adding the sheets until all the phyllo is used up.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes – watch it so you can get a nice browning on the top.

Enjoy!