Life and times of a new farmer/homesteader
Recipe: Spanikopita (spinach pie) {
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Tuesday, January 23, 2007
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Working with phillo dough can be intimidating, but the results are so
good, in so many recipes, that it is worth learning how to use.
Freeze your phyllo (sometimes called filo) dough for storage, and
refrigerate to thaw 24 hours before using. Keep a moist towel
over it while working with it, to keep it from drying out. Don't
worry too much if your dough rips, you can mend it with a little water
(or even egg,) and if it's inside of the outer layer, no one will
know. You can refreeze what you don't use, although it may dry
out some. Or, you can use this filling with normal dough, making
something of a pot pie or piroshki. Good food.Ingredients:
Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil until tender. Add mushrooms and stir until reduced and browned. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except the phyllo dough and butter. Lay the phyllo sheets on a towel in the work counter. Cut in half lengthwise and cover with another towel to keep from drying out. Melt the butter. Working quickly and using 1 half-sheet at a time, brush the phyllo lightly with melted butter. Place 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture in 1 corner of the shorter side and fold the other corner over the mixture, forming an angular fold. Or, you can cut the phyllo in thirds lengthwise, and use less filling, say 2-3 tablespoons. Continue to fold over until you have a triangle. It's kind of like folding a flag. Place on a cookie sheet and brush with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap, wax paper or parchment. If you are using later, freeze for about an hour and store in the fridge until about an hour before serving. They will need to thaw a little before baking. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Let cool for about five minutes before serving. They can be really hot on the inside if you don't let them cool a bit. Really good food! If you would rather not make lots of little triangles, but would prefer a casserole, butter a 9X12 (ish) casserole dish. Put in four layers of phillo, each buttered, and coat with a thin layer (maybe a quarter inch, as thin as you can get,) of the spinach mix. Repeat, much like a lasagna, until you have used all the spinach, and top with more phillo. The more layers the better. Butter the top, and bake as indicated. It won't have the same consistancy as the triangles, but it's a little easier and still quite good. It's hard to say how much you will get, depending on what ingredients you use, so work with it and see what happens. You can always make more fillings, and you can make lots of different fillings for phillo. I also like wild mushrooms, walnuts, and blue cheese mixed together with a touch of sage. Or, stone fruit, crushed nuts, and cream cheese, with a little powdered sugar on top after they cool from the oven.. The only limit is your imagination. These make great appitizers, desserts, snacks, or even the focus of a meal. If you are cooking with kids, they quite often really enjoy making the little triangles. They may or may not be as pretty, but the kids will have fun, and they get to eat their handiwork when it's all said and done. Have fun, and play with your food! Raymond { Last Page } { Page 87 of 181 } { Next Page } |
