Spanakopita

Spanakopita.jpg

Posted on Facebook by one of your fellow CSA members. A favorite of hers!

"When I peeked in my Farm Box this week, I saw there were 2 big ol’ Leeks, some Dill and a bag spinach! For my family, that can only mean one thing … SPANAKOPITA!!!"

"Pitas (pies made from papery phyllo dough) are BIG business in Diasello (our Village in Greece). The women roll out their own phyllo, grow their own vegetables, make their own Feta and collect wild weeds from the side of the road to make the best things that have EVER come out of an oven. My husband's mama’s specialty pita is a Milk Pita (Galatopita). One of his sisters wins prizes for her wild greens pita (Laxanopita). While another sister makes a pita stuffed with Macaroni and cheese (Makaronopita)!!"

"Here is my recipe for Spanakopita:"

Ingredients

1/2 package Phyllo

1/2 cup Good, Greek Olive Oil (divided)

2 big Leeks

1 handful Scallions washed and chopped

1 big handful of Dill, chopped

1 medium bag of spinach

1 7 oz package of Greek Isle Feta (You can use any feta, this is our favorite in America, available at your local Publix in the deli section.)

2 Eggs

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparations

  1. Thaw your phyllo over night in the refrigerator (and important step, at least 24 hours, but it will keep for about 5 days before it gets hard to handle).
  2. Make the filling the day before because cold filling helps any pie turn out nice, but if you are in a rush, you can make it the same day.
  3. Prepare your Leeks:

Before washing them, cut off 1/4" root area and trim any leaves that look really brown.

Cut the Leek lengthwise as far as you can, then chop it into 1" sections.

Soak the leeks for at least 20 minutes to refresh them in a BIG bowl, they usually have a ton of sand on them, so soak them, and crunch them up in your hands so they all fall apart and the sand sinks to the bottom of the bowl.

Skim the leeks off the top of the water and discard the water and rinse your bowl. That gets rid of the majority of the troublesome sand.

Wash and rinse as you usually do any vegetable.

Instructions

  1. Saute the leeks in 1/4 cup Olive Oil for about 10 minutes (more if you are cooking for Greeks).
  2. Add the scallions, dill and spinach. Note: use a pasta pot for this because the spinach is so “big” before it cooks down. Don’t add any water, the washed vegetables have enough to keep things from burning.
  3. Sauté the vegetables about 45 mins on a very low heat until EVERY DROP of moisture is gone.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste (don’t get it TOO salty because you’ll add Feta later).
  5. Refrigerate overnight.
  6. When you are ready to prepare your pita, take the phyllo out of the box from the fridge, and lay it (still in the plastic wrapping) on the counter for about 20 minutes (makes it easier to handle)
  7. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  8. Use a pastry brush and bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup Olive Oil to very lightly brush a 9 x 11 pan, bottom and sides
  9. Open the phyllo.
  10. Working as quickly as you can (so the phyllo won’t dry) lay a piece of phyllo on the bottom of the pan (the corners will bunch up, that’s no problem) brush very lightly with Olive Oil (don’t miss the sides!)
  11. Do the same with a second piece of phyllo, continue until you have 4 layers of phyllo (or 6 layers if you are using very thin phyllo)
  12. You can use the ripped pieces, it’s no big deal … the main idea is to get several layers of dough with just a touch of olive oil in between). Note: It's just sad to waste phyllo, so see an referenced recipe at the bottom of this recipe that uses the broken stuff!
  13. When you have 4 nice layers, get your filling, crumble the feta into it. (Don’t go crazy crumbling it, the big feta lumps are a good surprise)!
  14. Separate 1 egg and reserve the whites in a small dish.
  15. Whisk yolk together with remaining egg and stir in to the filling
  16. Spread filling in the phyllo lined pan
  17. Brush the side edges of the phyllo with oil, and the add a new sheet of phyllo on top and brush it carefully with oil (it’s easy to tear it, so be careful).
  18. Continue adding phyllo until you have 4 layers on top (or more if you have thin phyllo)
  19. Brush the top and edges with oil.
  20. Trim, with scissors, the excess phyllo (you’ll want about 1 1/2" over-hang all the way around so you can roll it into a crust).
  21. Roll the phyllo down all the way around to make a nice edge (keep brushing with oil as you go)
  22. Make several cuts in the top crust for vents
  23. Brush the top of the crust with the egg whites
  24. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.
  25. Cool at least 30 mins before cutting and eating !!
  26. Καλή Όρεξη!

Recipe for Lemonopita to use all the extra broken phyllo! https://akispetretzikis.com/categories/siropiasta/lemonopita

Secret Notes for Oviedo, FL locals

Suggestion to get your phyllo dough at the gas station right at Lake Charm Circle near the Oviedo Animal Hospital. It’s a little local secret. They stock the good stuff. You can use the phyllo that your local Publix sells, but the Kontos or Apollo brand is way better. This gas station usually has the #4 phyllo, which is a little thicker than you usually get .. so it’s better for savory pitas!

(Submitted and commented by LTepper, Fellow CSA member)

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