March 15th

It's Greek to Me

Spanikopita is a cheese and spinach pie.  This recipe is made with lots of cheese and a buttery, flaky crust.  And the recipe is from my mom, so you know it must be good.

Spanikopita
recipe from: Maureen Konieczny

This not necessarily a healthy meal, but it is delicious and it's vegetarian so if you're looking for a break from meat or you don't eat meat, this would be great for you.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C olive oil
• 2 lbs frozen, chopped, spinach
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs feta cheese, crumbled
• 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 C butter
• 1 lb filo dough
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3/4 C sour cream
• 1 Tbs lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat 1 TBS of oil in a large saute pan - add 1/2 the spinach and saute till spinach wilts, toss with tongs, about 2 minutes (make sure to squeeze out excess liquid).  Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tbs oil.
2. Pour off any liquid from pan and add remaining olive oil.  Add and saute green onion and garlic until soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Add spinach to green onions along with salt and pepper.  Cook over low for 1-2 minutes (can be done ahead and refrigerated.)
3. Stir in feta, sour cream, and 1 tbs lemon juice.  Stir in as much beaten egg as needed to moisten the cool spinach mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 350
5. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan (use cold butter to grease pan completely) and then spread 6 sheets of filo; brushing top of each sheet with butter.  Spoon the spinach filling over the filo evenly.  Then cover with 6 more sheets of filo, buttering each sheet.
6. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife.
7. Back 40-45 minutes or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

Grades:

Megan - A (Any pie is a good pie...even if it has spinach in it.)

Doug - A-

Noelle - F (I thought Noelle might like it after her first bite.  Then she took her second bite and stared making herself gag.  After that, she wouldn't try any more.)