Spanakopita

The third item that I made for today's luncheon at Huber was Spanakopita, which I have a recipe for from the Time Life series, "Food of the World." I made a slight change, and put the mixture into filo cups, to make them easier to eat as an appetizer.

Spanakopita

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped scallions
• ¼ cup finely chopped onions
• 2 pounds chopped spinach
• ¼ cup finely chopped dill
• ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leafed parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt
• a few grindings of pepper
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 package phyllo dough
• ½ pound butter

Instructions:
   Heat olive oil in a 10-12 inch skillet, over medium heat, until a light haze forms over it. Add onions and scallions and cook until translucent, but not brown, about 5-10 minutes. Add spinach. Cover and cook for ten minutes. Uncover, and add dill, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid is gone, and spinach sticks lightly to the pan. Transfer spinach to a deep bowl, add milk, and cool to room temperature. Stir in eggs and feta cheese.
   Heat oven to 300° F. Melt butter in a pan. In a 12x8x2 baking pan, using a pastry brush, spread butter in pan. Place a sheet of phyllo dough in the pan and brush with butter. Add 7 more layers, in the same manor. Spread spinach mixture evenly in pan, then cover with a sheet of phyllo dough and spread with butter. Add 7 more layers of phyllo dough, and pour remaining butter on top of pie. Put pan in oven and bake for one hour, until dough is a golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I fixed the filling last night, then got up this morning before work to fill the cups and bake them. I think they turned out well, and helped to add a little bit of variety to the spread for the luncheon.