Spanakopita Spinach Pie Muffins 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.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium heated saute pan, add butter (all except 6 tablespoons), onion, and scallion. Cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a sauce pot, boil spinach in water until tender. Strain and pat dry until all water is out. In a large mixing bowl, mix spinach, onion-scallion mixture, parsley and dill together. Add cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add back into sauce pot and boil for five minutes. Place aside.
• Moisten filo dough one by one with the remaining butter (melted) with pastry brush. In a baking pan, add five layers of dough to bottom. Next, add spinach mixture. Spread evenly. Add another five layers of dough on top, tucking in corners. Place in oven and bake for approximately one hour.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE) MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease 12 cup muffin pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, dill, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and pesto until well blended. Stir in spinach until blended.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in cheese.
• Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 21 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH TRIANGLES OR PIE)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).
• Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
• Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.
• Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

SPINACH PIE - SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Saute onion over medium heat in a large pan for about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
• Add frozen spinach, 2 TBS butter, Lemon Juice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon.
• Saute until the spinach is thawed.
• Add pepper to taste.
• Saute for 5 more minutes.
• Turn off heat and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
• Cut spinach mixture into small pieces using either 2 knives or a spatula.
• Drain off any excess surface liquid. (Do not thouroughly press the liquid out of the spinach mixture as you want some substance moisture, just drain off enough so that it's not liquidy).
• Melt remaining 4TBS butter in a bowl or glass measuring cup.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with melted butter.
• Layer the dish with half of the phyllo dough (10 sheets) brushing every other layer with the melted butter.
• Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo dough.
• Top with crumbled feta cheese.
• Continue to layer with the rest of the phyllo dough (10 sheets) brushing every other layer with butter.
• Using a sharp knive cut the top layers of phyllo into squares. (Only cut through to the filling, DO NOT cut through the bottom layers of phyllo).
• Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown (1/2 hour).
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Cut through the bottom layers of phyllo and serve.