Spinach And Sorrel Spanakopita Recipes

SPANAKOPITA RECIPE (AUTHENTIC GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• To prepare this spanakopita recipe start by making the phyllo dough first. (For step by step instructions Homemade phyllo dough). Alternatively use commercial phyllo dough.
• When done, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• To prepare the filling for this spanakopita 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.
• For this spanakopita recipe you will need a non stick baking pan, about 25cm. Put the first sheet of filo in the pan and sprinkle with olive oil, 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 sprinkling with olive oil. Use 2-3 phyllo sheets, depending on how thick your phyllo is. 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 2-3 phyllo sheets to form the bottom of the spanakopita, tip in the filling and top with 2-3 more phyllo sheets.
• Brush the top of the spanakopita with olive oil and scar with a sharp knife. Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes until the phyllo is crisp and golden.
• Leave the spanakopita cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve the spanakopita with Greek salad. Enjoy!

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

SPANAKOPITA: GREEK SPINACH PIE WITH FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash and drain the chopped spinach very well. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water. The spinach should be dry before you begin cooking.
• Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a deep sauté pan or large Dutch oven. Sauté the onions and green onions until tender.
• Add the spinach, parsley, and dill , and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted and heated through.
• Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. The spinach mixture should be on the dry side; if using frozen spinach, you will want to cook it until any excess moisture evaporates. Remove from the heat and set the spinach mixture aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the feta, eggs, and ricotta cheese.
• Add the cooled spinach mixture and mix until combined.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine the melted butter with the olive oil in a bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly grease 2 (9 x 12-inch) rectangular pans.
• Carefully remove the phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve. Most packages come in 12 x 18-inch sheets when opened fully.
• Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut the sheets in half to make 2 stacks of 9 x 12-inch sheets. To prevent drying, cover 1 stack with wax paper and a damp paper towel while working with the other.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Layer about 10 sheets of phyllo on the bottom of each pan, making sure to brush each sheet with the butter-olive oil mixture before layering the next.
• Add half of the spinach mixture to each pan in an even layer and press with a spatula to flatten.
• Layer another 10 phyllo sheets on top of the spinach mixture in each pan, making sure to brush each sheet well with the butter-olive oil mixture.
• Before baking, score the top layer of the phyllo (making sure not to puncture the filling) to enable easier cutting of pieces later. (You can place the pan in the freezer to harden the top layers and then use a serrated knife to make the cutting easier.)
• Bake until the pie turns a deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let cool for a few minutes and then slice, serve, and enjoy.

SPANAKOPITA RECIPE & HISTORY - TRADITIONAL GREEK SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• THAWN PHYLLO DOUGHThe Phyllo dough is hard to make at home, so I suggest you to buy it frozen. Thawn the Phyllo at room temperature a couple of hours or 1 night in the fridge.Leave the Phyllo dough rolled into its bag until the spinach filling is ready, then unroll and use.
• SPINACH AND SCALLIONSFirst of all, rinse the spinach thoroughly, then cut and discard the tougher ends of the stems. After that, cut roughly the spinach leaves. Now, reduce into thin rings 4 whole scallions and the white part of 8 other scallions. Pour the scallions in a pot big enough to cook the spinach along with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Saute the scallions over medium/low heat until tender but not brown, then add the spinach leaves along with 1 generous pinch of salt. Stir-fry the spinach until they lose almost all their liquid, then pour them into a colander, and press gently with a spoon to purge the rest of the water.
• PREPARE THE FILLINGPre-heat the oven to 355° F (180° C).Now, rinse and mince the herbs. Then, pour the spinach along with the Feta crumbles, and the Greek yogurt, and the minced herbs into a bowl. Complete with the black pepper, salt to taste and grated lemon skin. After that, crack 2 eggs and whisk a little, then add them to the other ingredients. Whisk eventually the Spanakopita filling until consistent.
• FILLING THE SPANAKOPITANow, unroll the phyllo dough, then grease a 10 inches square baking dish with olive oil. Then, proceed this way:• Line the casserole with 3 layers of phyllo leaving at least 2 inches of dough over the edges of the dish. If the sheets are not large enough, use two different groups phyllo layers overlapped a little in the center of the baking plate.• After that, grease with olive oil, and add 3 more layers of pastry, rotated 90 degrees to the first layers.• Then, pour the Spanakopita stuffing in the casserole and spread the mixture uniformly.• At this point, cover the mixture with 3 layers of dough, grease with a little amount of olive oil, then add 3 more layers of phyllo.• Finally, grease the pastry lid with 1 tbsp of beaten egg, and spray or use your hands to sprinkle a very little with water.• Bake immediately at 355° F (180°) for 45 to 55 minutes depending on your oven, until the crust become nicely golden and crispy.
• SERVING SPANAKOPITAOnce ready, let the Spanakopita reach lukewarm or room temperature, then cut and serve.

SPINACH AND SORREL SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Make Filling:
• Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain in a colander, then refresh under cold running water to stop the cooking, and drain well again. Transfer spinach to a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) twisting the ends together, and squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach. Transfer spinach to a large bowl.
• Cook scallions with 1/4 teaspoon salt in olive oil in a 9- to 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sorrel and cook, stirring and adding 1 tablespoon water if sorrel is dry, until wilted, about 1 minute (sorrel will turn khaki gray almost immediately when heated). Add sorrel mixture to spinach and stir well.
• Stir in yolk, then feta, nutmeg, dill, and salt and pepper to taste and combine mixture well.
• Form and Bake Phyllo Triangles:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel.
• Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keeping remaining sheets covered) and brush all over with some butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack lengthwise into 4 strips, each about 3-inches wide and 17- inches long.
• Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangle shape. Brush triangle all over with butter. Put triangle, seam side down, on parchment-lined sheet. Make more triangles in same manner, using all of phyllo.
• For best results, freeze spanakopita until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

SPINACH-SORREL TARTS

Steps:

• Black-Pepper Pate Brisee: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over mixture. Pulse until mixture holds together when pressed between 2 fingers. If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Filling: Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic, and red-pepper flakes until onions are softened and just starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and sorrel, and cook, stirring with tongs, until greens just wilt, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
• Assembly: Roll out each piece of dough to an 11-by-14-inch rectangle on lightly floured parchment, and transfer to 2 baking sheets. Divide filling between rectangles, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Season filling with salt, and fold in edges of dough. Refrigerate 1 tart, and bake the other until edges are golden, about 35 minutes. Place half the cheese on top of filling, and bake until cheese is melted, 5 minutes more. Bake remaining tart in same manner. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature.

SPANAKOPITA RECIPE (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Make the Filling:
• For Fresh spinach: In a large pan, wilt the spinach - you will likely have to work in batches - for about 4 minutes. Pour into a colander or, better yet, a salad spinner to drain any excess water. Roughly chop.
• If using frozen spinach, defrost spinach and squeeze out all excess moisture in a colander. Using a kitchen cloth or a cheese cloth helps.
• Chop the scallions and herbs.
• Transfer spinach, scallions, herbs to a large bowl.
• Add the both the cheeses, black pepper, and eggs.
• Mix well (I like to use my hands). Set aside the filling.
• Phyllo Crust/Assembling the pie:
• Preheat oven to 375ºF convection (if you have it).
• Melt 1 stick of butter in a pan or in the microwave. If using olive oil, pour out at least 1 cup in a bowl (you may need up to another 1/2 cup).
• Make sure the box of phyllo is at room temperature. When you're ready to use it (not before or it will dry out), unwrap it so it is in one rectangular pile.
• I like to trim my phyllo before assembling the spanakopita, so one rectangle easily fits into my baking pan with no overhang. **See note on phyllo.
• Dip your pastry brush in the melted butter or extra virgin and brush a 9" x 13" baking pan with butter or olive oil.
• Pick up one leaf of phyllo and lay it in the pan. Lightly brush phyllo with oil/butter. Repeat layering the phyllo buttering each individual leaf. Layer about half of the leaves(** see note) in your package on the bottom.
• Dampen a kitchen towel and lay it on top of the unused phyllo. This keeps them from drying out.
• Pour the filling on top of the phyllo leaves in the pan. Evenly distribute it across the pan.
• Start making your top crust by adding a leaf of phyllo, brushing it with butter or olive oil it and adding another on top. Repeat the process for the rest of the leaves.
• Make sure to butter/oil your top piece of phyllo.
• Score the pie with your knife. You should be able to divide the pie evenly into 12 square pieces.
• Bake pie until top is brown, and phyllo layers are visible (like in the photo) about 45 minutes, to an hour. Start checking for color after 30 minutes.