Spinach Feta Cheese Filo Triangles Spanakopitakia Recipes

SPINACH AND FETA PHYLLO TRIANGLES - SPANOKOPITA

Steps:

• Microwave 5 oz spinach until wilted, about 1 minute, or put in a skillet, cover with lid and allow to wilt over medium-low heat.
• Take away about 4 tablespoons of beaten egg into a separate bowl. Add the remaining egg to 8 ounces feta, 3 ounces cottage cheese (or homemade farmer's cheese) and mix together until everything is well combined. Now add the spinach and mix again.
• Take about half of your phyllo sheets and cut them into 3 long strips (about 3 inches wide each). Roll up the rest of the phyllo sheets and cover with a towel, to prevent them from drying.
• Drizzle couple teaspoons of butter all over the sheet. Add 1 tablespoon of feta-spinach filling to the end of each strip that's closest to you. Now grab two layers of sheets and start folding like pictured, into a triangle. Try to move fast or the phyllo dough will dry out.
• Place the triangles on a baking sheet and brush each triangle with either butter or the beaten egg. If you brush it with the beaten egg, they will have a sheen to it.
• Try to bake them as soon as you form them, or the wet filling will soften the phyllo and they will break while baking (see last picture in the post). Bake at 350F, for about 20-25 minutes or until golden in color.
• Eat warm or cold with refreshing Cucumber and Yogurt dip (recipe for Tzatziki dip here). Re-crisp leftovers by placing back in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, at 350°F.

SPANAKOPITAKIA (SPINACH AND FETA FILO TRIANGLES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onion. Saute for a few minutes until they begin to soften and then add the spinach in batches, stirring until it wilts.
• Remove from heat and transfer the spinach to a colander or sieve. Press down with a wooden spoon to remove any moisture.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl and add the remaining filling ingredients. Mix everything well and then set aside.
• Remove the filo sheets from the package and cut them into thirds width-wise (see photo in blog post above).
• Working with one piece of filo at a time, brush it with butter and then fold it in half. Place a small spoonful of the filling mixture at one end and carefully fold it over to make a triangle shape (see photo instructions in blog post). Continue to fold it over onto itself in a triangle pattern. Once you reach the end, brush the filo with some butter to help seal the triangle. Brush the entire triangle with butter on the outside and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with all of the remaining filo.
• Arrange the spanakopitakia triangles on the baking sheet so they are not touching. Bake in the oven for approximately 23-25 minutes or until the filo turns a nice golden brown.

EASY SPANAKOPITA TRIANGLES (MINI GREEK SPINACH PIES)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375° F.
• Saute your chopped onion in a skillet with 2 tbsp of butter for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
• If using fresh spinach, add it to your onions and saute for another 5 minutes or until the leaves are wilted down and water is fully evaporated. Take off heat.
• If using frozen spinach, make sure it is fully thawed. (A microwave can help do this quickly.)*There is a lot of excess water in frozen spinach so make sure to drain it very well. Take a few paper towels or a dish cloth and squeeze out any excess water. You do not want a watery filling!
• Add drained/cooled spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, salt, onions, lemon juice, dill and garlic powder to a medium sized bowl and mix.
• Melt your butter in a saucepan or in a small bowl using your microwave. Scramble your egg in another bowl.
• Pull out your defrosted phyllo dough and lay one sheet down on the table.Make sure to cover your phyllo dough with a slightly damp dishtowel so it does not dry out!
• Carefully brush one sheet of phyllo dough lightly with butter. Add another layer of dough and brush again. You should have two buttered layers.
• Cut your phyllo dough into thirds lengthwise. Add 1½ - 2 tbsp of filling to the bottom of each strip of phyllo dough.
• Begin folding from the bottom up. You will want to maintain a right triangle. Continue folding the triangle upward until you reach the top. (See photos.) You should end up with 24 triangles.Brush your egg wash generously over the top and sides of your triangles and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat until finished. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you prefer.°
• Bake in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes or until your dough turns golden brown.

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 FETA TRIANGLES

Steps:

• In a skillet melt butter and cook onion for about 3 minutes or until softened. Remove skillet from heat and stir in spinach, feta cheese and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay out one layer of phyllo dough and brush with butter. Top with another layer of dough and repeat with butter and a third layer of dough. With a sharp knife cut rectangle into 3 evenly sized pieces. Place a heaping tablespoon of the spinach mixture in lower left corner of one of the pieces and fold up as you would a flag--folding the lower corner up to form a triangle and continuing to fold up in the shape of a triangle. Place triangles on a baking sheet, at this point they can be frozen and then stored in an airtight container. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

SPINACH AND FETA FILO TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C Squeeze excess moisture from spinach.
• Combine with remaining ingredients.
• Place a sheet of 'filo' pastry on the bench. Spray lightly with the olive oil spray.
• Top with another sheet of pastry.
• Cut into 5 strips.
• Place a tablespoon of filling at the bottom of each strip.
• Fold across diagonally, and continue folding to the top of the strip.
• Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 Minutes or until crisp and golden.

TRADITIONAL GREEK SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook the onions in the olive oil until tender and golden. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and let it cool.
• Place the chopped spinach in a colander, sprinkle with some salt, and let it sit for about twenty minutes. Squeeze the spinach between the palms of your hands to drain the water. Add the spinach to the bowl with the onions, along with the crumbled Feta cheese, dill, parsley, pinch of salt, ground pepper, and egg. Mix well and set aside.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375° F. Unwrap the filo and arrange it on a work surface with the long side nearest to you.
• Start layering a 13"x9"x2" pan with filo sheets. First, brush some oil on all sides of the pan, then proceed to line the pan with half of the filo sheets, brushing oil on each one of them. Without oiling the top filo layer, pour the mixture over the stacked filo and arrange evenly in the pan. Top with the remaining sheets, brushing each one of them with oil. Fold the edges over the pie, so the filling is enclosed. With a sharp knife, carefully score the top few filo sheets into 24 rectangles, being careful not to cut through the filling. This way, the filo will not crumble when it is cut through.
• Sprinkle some water over the pie and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until filo is nice and golden. Let it cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

SPANAKOPITA TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Slowly cook and stir onions until softened.
• Mix in spinach, dill and flour.
• Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat.
• Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.
• Lay phyllo dough flat and brush with butter.
• Place a small amount of spinach mixture onto each piece of dough.
• Fold phyllo into triangles around the mixture.
• Brush with butter.
• Place filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown.