Spanakopita

I've been seriously loving my full-on immersion into Greek food.  I've been experimenting in the kitchen with different recipes and loving each more than the last.  I think I must have been Greek in a past life because I have been missing these flavors in my life for way too long!

The scariest part was trying to learn how to work with phyllo dough.  Surprisingly, I had a lot of success, so maybe I have a natural magic touch.  Or, maybe it's just beginner's luck.  Either way, these dishes came together with relative ease and were sooooo good!

I found a series of vegetable-filled pies that I've been making with phyllo dough and I'm so excited to share them with you!

Enjoy!



Spanakopita

4 cups spinach
1 cup shallots, finely diced
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup feta cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tbsp dill
1 tbsp dried mint
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
16 sheets of phyllo dough
Olive oil for brushing


Saute shallots in olive oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl and stir in the feta and ricotta cheeses.  Add the dill, mint, nutmeg and eggs.

Preheat oven 350F.

In the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan, place one sheet of phyllo dough.  Brush with a light layer of olive oil, then apply another sheet of phyllo.  Repeat six times, for a total of eight bottom sheets.

Layer the spinach layer over the phyllo.  Repeat alternating phyllo and olive oil with the last eight sheets for the top crust.  Brush the very top sheet with olive oil or a light egg wash, if desired.

Bake for 1 hour.




Listening to:  Jason Aldean - Dirt Road Anthem