Lois Harvie is a volunteer for Local Organic Meals on a Budget and made one of the appetizers for our media event.  Spanikopita is a great way to get your family to enjoy fresh spinach! Spring greens are in season this time of year and there is an assortment of wonderful seasonal spinach, chards and mustard greens available at your local Farmers Market right now.  Be sure to check out some fresh local cheeses while you are out and about as well. This recipe uses local goat feta from Windmill Dairy and their wonderful grated pecorino romano. We also add a handful of fresh mint and nutmeg to give it a fresh spring flavor.  Spanikopita is easy to make and will impress your guests.  Folding the triangle pouches takes some time, but its great fun if you get your friends or family together and turn it into a group cooking project.  Consider making them in advance and freezing some for later. You can have them ready to pop in the oven anytime!

 

Ingredients:

Makes 48 triangles, serve 2 per person

$18.42 or $.77 per serving

1 lb of fresh organic spinach (check out your local Farmer’s market

1 cup of local feta  crumbled (Windmill Dairy)

½  cup pecorino romano or parmesan (Windmill Dairy)

1 medium yellow onion chopped

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/3 cup of fresh chopped mint

½  cup of salted butter (melted)

1 lb of frozen phyllo dough pastry

 

Directions:

1. Take out phyllo dough and defrost in refrigerator overnight
2. Preheat oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
3. Rinse spinach and pat dry.
4. Chop onion and mince garlic.  Heat oil in sauté pan and add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent, add spinach to pan and cook down until wilted about 8 minutes.
5. Let cool for a few minutes then remove from pan and drain excess moisture using a colander.
6. Mix the spinach mixture with feta cheese, pecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheese, in a bowl.  Add chopped mint and nutmeg and mix.
7. Arrange one roll of phyllo dough on a clean work surface and Cut the phyllo lengthwise into 3  strips.
8. Take 2 strips and brush top one with melted butter.  Be sure to cover the remaining phyllo dough with a damp towel to keep it moist, but do not let it get too wet or it will get soggy. Prepare them 2 at at time as to keep your process moving!
9. Place about 1 tablespoon of the spinach mixture on the bottom of each strip. Take the bottom right corner and fold the dough over the filling to make a triangle. Fold the bottom left corner up to make another triangle. Continue folding until all the dough is folded.
10.  Arrange the stuffed triangles, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the triangle with butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo dough and spinach filling.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
12. You can bake half of the Spanikopita and freeze the other half. To do this, freeze the triangles on the baking sheet for one hour until solid, then place triangles in a re sealable plastic bag. When you’re ready to cook them, just pop them in a preheated oven and enjoy!

See more recipes and tips from Lois at:

newlifenewbody.com