Shortcut Spanakopita Recipes

EASY SPANAKOPITA APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 2 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Arrange 3/4 cup spinach mixture in a narrow row along the long end of phyllo to within 1 in. of edges. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then roll up. Brush end of phyllo dough with butter and press to seal. Repeat 4 times with phyllo sheets, butter and the spinach mixture. Place rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, seam side down., Cut rolls diagonally into 2-in. pieces (do not separate). Brush tops with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. If desired, serve with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges and dill sprigs. , Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer container; return to freezer. To use, bake rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 375° oven until heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

SHORTCUT SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Make sure you rack is in the center position.
• Preheat a small pan to med-high heat and then add you oil and onion - saute for about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add spinach to the onion and season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the feta and combine it well with the spinach mixture. Next add the beaten egg and sour cream and combine it well with the cheese, spinach and onion mixture.
• Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean surface and paint half of it with some of the melted butter. Fold the sheet in half to make almost a square. Put up to 1/4 of the spinach mixture onto the phyllo into a log shape, working 2 inches from the bottom and each side of the pastry. Tuck the bottom edge up and fold both sides in, then roll and wrap upwards until you reach the edge of the dough sheet. Each filled pastry will look a bit like an egg roll. Paint the seam and the ends of the roll with butter and set it seam side down on a cookie sheet. Repeat these steps to make 4 rolls.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

SKILLET SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• In a large (preferably 10-inch) cast-iron skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add one large handful of spinach at a time, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and stir until wilted, until you've added and seasoned all of the spinach and the mixture is thoroughly combined, about 12 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool.
• Arrange an oven rack in the middle position, and heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, dill, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Working with about 1 cup at a time, transfer the spinach mixture to a fine-mesh strainer or sieve set in the sink and press the mixture to remove as much liquid as possible, then add to the parsley mixture. Stir to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Feta is salty, so season very lightly with salt here.) Stir in the eggs, then gently fold in the feta, doing your best to leave the larger chunks intact.
• Prepare the phyllo crust: Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter; set aside. Brush the bottom and sides of the skillet with melted butter. Working quickly with one phyllo sheet at a time, lightly brush the top of one sheet with butter, then lay it in the skillet, buttered-side up, with an overhang on all sides. Gently press it in to eliminate any large air bubbles between the phyllo and the pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets, rotating each sheet in a different direction as you add it.
• Spoon the spinach-feta mixture into the skillet, spreading in an even layer. Working with one tip of overhanging phyllo dough at a time, starting with the top layer first, lift it over the spinach-feta mixture and toward the center of the pan, loosely crinkling it as you go. Repeat with all of the phyllo sheets, then lightly brush the exposed surface of the phyllo with butter. (You should have a circle of uncovered spinach-feta mixture in the center, surrounded by a ring of crinkled phyllo dough.)
• Cook over medium heat on the stovetop for about 5 minutes to crisp the bottom crust. Transfer to middle rack of the oven, and bake until phyllo is golden and the filling is warmed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and let sit 10 minutes to cool and firm up. Sprinkle small sprigs of parsley and dill over the spinach-feta mixture, if desired. Slice into 6 to 8 wedges to serve. The spanakopita can be served warm or at room temperature.

SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Wash spinach in plenty of water and cut in small pieces; place in bowl.
• Salt lightly; stir to spread salt evenly.
• Take spinach, a handful at a time; squeeze out the excess water; place it in another bowl.
• Saute the onion in half the butter until it is a light, golden color.
• Add the scallions and cook until they wilt.
• Add spinach; stir until all vegetables take on a light color.
• Stir in the dill, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Cover the pot and cook until all the water from the spinach is absorbed.
• Remove from the heat; turn into a bowl, and immediately add the evaporated milk (to cool the spinach).
• Beat the eggs in another bowl and add the cheese to them; add to the cooled spinach; mix well.
• Line a pan with 8 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with the melted butter before topping it with the next sheet. Do not trim the overhanging sections.
• Pour in the spinach mixture, spreading it evenly over the phyllo.
• Fold the part of the phyllo that extends out of the back of the pan over the filling.
• Lay the remaining phyllo on top, again brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next. Trim the overlap.
• Brush additional melted butter on top of the pie.
• Score it into square or diamond-shaped serving pieces.
• Bake for 30 to 45 minutes in a preheated 300 degree Fahrenheit oven.
• Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.
• NOTE: This can also be made without precooking the spinach. In that case, squeeze the spinach free of as much water as possible, mix it with the seasonings, and proceed as above, baking it for 1 hour.

ALEXA'S EASY SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Finely dice onion, and sautee in a pan with EVOO.
• Once translucent, add garlic and spinach until wilted.
• Remove from heat, and let cool.
• Dice feta into medium size chunks. Add to spinach mixture along with parmesan cheese.
• Mix until everything is incorporated.
• Add salt + pepper, stir.
• Remove filo dough from box, and place between a damp kitchen towel to keep moist while working.
• Add a small amount of EVOO on the bottom of your baking dish.
• Place an even layer of filo on the bottom of the dish, overlapping the sides.
• Continue to do this at least 10 times overlapping layers, and brushing with EVOO as you go. The more filo at the bottom, the thicker, crunchier crust you will have.
• Add your spinach cheese mixture, and press so it is evenly in the bottom of your pan.
• Fold over overlapping filo.
• Add several layers on top to cover the pie, and brush with EVOO.
• Place into the oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
• Let cool 5-10 minutes, and dig in!
• It will be even better the next day! Enjoy! :).

GREEK SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Saute onion in olive oil for 5 minutes.
• Add spinach. Simmer over a low flame, stirring occasionally until most of moisture is evaporated.
• Crumble Feta cheese into small pieces.
• Add cottage cheese and eggs; mix well.
• Toss bread crumbs into spinach mixture and add to cheese. Stir until blended.
• Carefully cut phyllo sheets into thirds. Refrigerate 2/3 until needed and cover remaining third with a slightly damp towel.
• Remove 1 sheet of phyllo pastry, fold in half lengthwise. Brush with melted butter.
• Place 1 tablespoon of spinach filling near the end.
• Fold over in triangle shape. Continue folding like a flag, keeping triangular shape. Lightly butter top.
• Continue with remaining pastry and filling.
• Bake in a 425 degrees oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.