SPINACH PIE (SPANIKOPITA)

Posted On December 28, 2010

Filed under Savoury

Comments Dropped 232 responses

This is from Elizabeth Bey. It is one of her favourite recipes. 300F for 1 hour

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

1/3 cup milk

2 pounds spinach, washed, drained, and finely chopped

1/2 pound feta, finely crumbled

1/4 cup finely cut fresh dill (2 Tbsp. dried)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 pound butter or margarine, melted

16 sheets of phyllo

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and scallions and cook stirring frequently until soft but not brown. Stir in the spinach, cover tightly and cook for 5 minutes.Add the dill, parsley, salt and pepper while stirring and shaking the pan. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the spinach sticks slightly to the pan.

Transfer to a bowl. Add the milk and cool to room temperature.

Add the cheese and slowly beat in the eggs. Taste for seasoning.

With a pastry brush, coat the bottom and the sides of a 7-inch by 12-inch dish with melted butter. Line the dish with a sheet of phyllo, pressing the edges into the corners of the dish. Brush the surface with 2 to 3 tsp. of butter. Continue each layer until there are 8 layers in the pan.

Spread the spinach mix on top of this. Add the remaining layers of phyllo, buttering each one. With scissors, trim off the excess phyllo. Butter the top with remaining butter.

Bake until golden.