I must be honest. This morning told me a lot... well, I sent my husband off to school with an apple. Yes, JUST an apple. I felt TERRIBLE!! I try and make him a lunch everyday, but let him have something "special" at least once a week or two. With life, I just hadn't made it to the store and there was nothing to feed him, which really meant that I had nothing to eat myself either. Oh... dear... TIME to go to the store. So what was there in the fridge that could be used for something? Leave it to me! Frozen spinach, feta, and Parmesan. That means ONE thing to me! :)
Spanakopita is a tasty little pastry that is so satisfying. Funnily enough, this is another recipe that I made for the first time with Chloe! :) We called up her house and got the family recipe! I can't guarantee it's100% the same. Since it wasn't a terribly difficult recipe to remember in terms of ingredients, I guess I have morphed it into my own - with a slight variation in proportions that is. In my opinion, it's pretty darn close!
Spanakopita1 large onion (diced - I like red!)
1 bunch green onions (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup + olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
16 oz frozen spinach (drained - you don't want soggy spinach!)
8 oz feta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs
phyllo dough (1 box)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat a skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Once warmed, toss in the onions, seasoning with salt & pepper. Allow to saute for a few minutes, adding the garlic. You may need to add a little more olive oil at this time. Continue to cook down the onions until they become lightly browned. Add in green onions at this time and cook down for another minute or two. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare spinach by thawing (in the microwave if necessary) and squeezing out all the excess water. Combine spinach, onions, and nutmeg together in a bowl. (I know the nutmeg may sound really weird, but it is traditional and does add a nice flavor! Fresh nutmeg adds a great flavor if you have it at your disposal). Stir well, so ingredients are combined. Add in feta and Parmesan, stirring again to combine. Check now to taste if more salt or pepper is needed and add as necessary. Once all the ingredients are mixed well, add in the eggs and stir once more. You want to be careful that everything is well combined, as a large chunk of unseasoned spinach is not that tasty...Now for the trickiest part! There is an "easier" way to this, and doesn't change the flavor at all.
Traditional version: Take about 4 sheets of phyllo dough and lay them on a flat surface, so it is taller rather than wider. Toward the top of the sheet, make a triangle of filling (see picture) about an inch below the top of the phyllo dough. Fold top "flap" over the filling and then the two sides in toward the center. Butter a thin layer to help the phyllo dough stay intact. Next, begin alternating the strip over itself to create a triangle. Once all the dough has been used, butter both sides and place "seam side down" on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow spanakopita to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving, as the filling is very hot!
Quick Greek Salad1 cucumber (cut into 1/4 rounds, quartering each round)
2 tomatoes (diced)
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup feta cheese
salt & pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 - 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
Chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Combine all of the vegetables together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic and stir well!
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