Quick Easy Spinach And Feta Phyllo Pie Recipes

EASY GREEK SPINACH PIE FOR BEGINNERS (SPANAKOPITA)

Steps:

• If you choose to prepare this Greek spinach pie recipe with commercial phyllo dough, it is important to thaw completely the phyllo dough by putting it in the fridge from the previous day. For the beginners at working with phyllo, check the handling tips before start making the spanakopita.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• To prepare this spinach pie recipe, sauté the onions in a large knob of butter until soft and turning golden. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook until wilted. Cool, then tip into a bowl (leaving behind any excess liquid from the spinach) and mix in the nutmeg, feta, eggs, spring onion and season. This will be the filling of the spanakopita.
• For this spinach pie recipe you will need a non stick baking pan, about 20-22cm. Put the first sheet of filo in the pan and brush with butter, letting the excess hang over the sides. Keep going with the rest of the sheets, turning a little before adding each additional pastry sheet and brushing all over with butter. When all the pastry is used up, tip in the filling of the spanakopita and fold over the excess pastry to cover. If you like to prepare a larger pan of spanakopita for a big crowd, double the ingredients for the filling and use a 25*35 cm baking dish. Layer the 4-5 phyllo sheets to form the bottom of the spanakopita, tip in the filling and top with 4-5 more phyllo sheets.
• Butter the top of the spinach pie with melted butter and scar with a sharp knife. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the filo is crisp and golden.
• Leave the spanakopita cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve the spinach pie with Greek feta salad. Enjoy!

QUICK & EASY SPINACH AND FETA PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with the cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together everything except the phyllo.
• Lay one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the dish.
• Spray with cooking spray.
• Repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo, spraying and alternating the direction of each sheet.
• Spoon spinach mixture on top of the prepared phyllo in the pan.
• Spray and layer remaining 5 sheets just the same as you did before.
• Roll edges of dough to form a rim.
• Spray the top.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let stand 5-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

" BUREK" OR FETA CHEESE PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• FIRST - Let me explain the Feta. We have an Italian Market that sells fresh fruits and veggies etc. and they have a fresh cheese section. I always buy a block of French Feta Cheese. I use half for this recipe and the rest for omelets etc. You can use the prepacked Feta but if you want the full experience you'll need a lot. Also, you may use other variety of Feta (there's Hungarian, Bulgarian even a salt free one) The French is very salty which is why I add cottage cheese. It kind of balances out the saltiness abit. YOU JUST NEED 1 PACKAGE OF PHYLLO. Mine says 32 oz, buy the long box not the country (it's too thick).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In large mixing bowl beat eggs, add 2 cups milk and mix well. Take your block of Feta and cut in half. Use one 1/2 and refrigerate the other. Crumble the Feta into the egg mix and add cottage cheese. Make sure you have nice chunks. Mix well, the mixture should be thick and very lumpy. If too thick add more milk (hence the extra milk).
• Take a large deep baking dish. Sprinkle oil on bottom only (dip your spoon into oil, take out and just drizzle slightly). Lay one sheet phyllo and drizzle with oil, continue until you have 4 sheets. When you add the last sheet place your hand flat on the phyllo sheets and GENTLY gather, without tearing by pulling the sides slightly toward center. (It should resemble a crumpled bed) :).
• Use 1 full Ladle of the egg/feta mixture onto the layer, you don't need to cover all the phyllo (TRUST ME) just don't leave the feta in one spot distribute.
• Layer another phyllo sheet and sprinkle with oil. Layer another sheet of phyllo and again crumple the center then sprinkle the oil (just a little). One Ladle of the egg/feta mix. Continue in this pattern (Don't forget to gather the center each time). If you see that you have alot of the egg/feta mix left you can start to add more than the 1 ladle. Your last layer should be 3-4 layers of phyllo. Don't sprinkle with oil yet. Take a soup spoon and with the handle, tuck in the sides. Now sprinkle with oil.
• Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is puffed and nicely browned.
• Your kitchen with smell wonderful. The Burek will puff high off the top of the pan but once cooled will drop. You must cool completely or you will nto be able to cut with out it falling apart.
• It's moist and a bit salty and goes great with a nice cold beer! You can serve as main meal with salad or as appetizer (cut into small squares).

ATHENA'S SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH AND FETA PIE)

Steps:

• Place spinach and water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate. Microwave on high power until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, about 5 minutes. Using potholders, remove bowl from microwave and keep covered, 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander set in sink. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid.
• Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop. Transfer spinach to clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Place drained spinach in large bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using pastry brush, lightly brush 14 by 9-inch rectangle in center of parchment with melted butter to cover area same size as phyllo. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on buttered parchment, and brush thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter (you should have total of 10 layers of phyllo).
• Spread spinach mixture evenly over phyllo, leaving 1/4 inch border on all sides. Cover spinach with 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter and sprinkling each with about 2 tablespoons Pecorino cheese. Lay 2 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter (these layers should not be sprinkled with Pecorino).
• Working from center outward, use palms of your hands to compress layers and press out any air pockets. Using sharp knife, score pie through the top 3 layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes or up to 2 hours. Slide spanakopita, still on parchment, to cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.