Bosnian Pita Phyllo Pie With Spinach Filling Recipes

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.

BOSNIAN PITA (PHYLLO PIE) WITH SPINACH FILLING

Steps:

• WASH HANDS (This recipe requires you to work with the food directly with your hands).
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Wash and drain spinach.
• Chop spinach and put in a big glass bowl.
• Add salt and mix with hands.
• Leave the spinach to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water from the vegetable.
• The water in spinach will make the filling bitter so do not skip this step.
• Drain the spinach by either sqeezing it bit by bit with your hand over the sink or by spinning several times in a salad spinner.
• Transfer drained spinach into a new bowl.
• Add egg, and sour cream.
• Fold in feta and cheddar cheese.
• Put some olive oil in a small bowl.
• Grease a 9"*13" glass or metal baking pan.
• Take your phyllo dough sheets and lie the sheets, stacked, on a dry surface.
• TIP: (While adding the filling, you may wish to cover the dough with a dry towel and then a damp one to keep it from drying out or flaking) Place one sheet of dough into the pan and cut away excess.
• Brush with oil, using either your hands or a pastry brush.
• Repeat until dough is 6 or 7 layers.
• Add a skim of filling with hands and spread evenly.
• Repeat steps 16-18 until the pie reaches the top of the pan or you run out of ingredients.
• Just make sure you finish with the dough on top, sort of like lasagna.
• Place pie in the oven, uncovered, about 45 minutes.
• The top becomes flaky.
• Pour on top of the pie while it is baking, 1/4 cup sour cream blended with 0.125 cup of milk.
• Bake for 15 more minutes.
• This dish can be served warm or room temperature.
• It is traditionally served with a yogurt beverage which is easily replicated by mixing the plain yogurt with milk, in equal parts.

SPINACH PITA WITH PHYLLO PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Put frozen spinach in enough water to cover it and bring to boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then squeeze to remove the excess liquid.
• Transfer spinach in a large mixing bowl.
• Add cottage cheese, feta cheese and eggs and mix until blended.
• Brush with butter 13 x 9" baking pan.
• Unroll thowed phyllo pastry. Measure how much pastry is needed in lenght for the baking pan, and cut the excess.
• Lay one sheet of pastry in and brush lightly with melted butter. Top with 7 more phyllo sheets, brushing each one lightly with butter.
• Spread 1/3 spinach mixture over the layered phyllo.
• Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each one with butter and spread another 1/3 spinach mixture.
• Repeat one more time, spreading the last 1/3 of spinach mixture and topping it with last 8 sheets, brushing the top sheet.
• Bake for 1 hour. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Cut the squares and serve warm.