Spanakopita Recipe

Ingredients:

3 boxes of frozen chopped spinach .99 cents each = $2.97 (I recommend using 4 boxes)
1 small block of feta 8 oz $3.99 (I recommend using 2 blocks)
Dill Weed $1.59 (I bought the Badia brand which is in with the Spanish foods their spices are super cheap)
Pam cooking Spray (I used both the olive oil kind and the butter flavor) $2.89 each
2 large eggs $1.49 for a dozen
Athens Phyllo Dough $3.69 (only used 1 roll out of 2)
2 bunches of scallions or green onions (whatever you want to call them) $1.18
1/2 container of cottage cheese $2.79
1 bag of Success boil in bag rice (do not cook!)
salt and pepper to taste
splash of lemon juice
olive oil



So for $20.59 I had way more than enough to make a large pan and have certain items extra (Pam, eggs, dill weed, phyllo dough). At the restaurant I go to a small piece of spinach pie is $4.99 and I am guessing in the pan I just made there is probably anywhere from 9 to 12 pieces depending on how you slice it (possibly even more).

If I bought 9 pieces it would cost me close to $45! So this is a very good savings!


****Put frozen spinach and phyllo dough in fridge overnight to thaw.******

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain as much water from spinach as possible. This is my least favorite thing about spinach.

Wash scallions, chop both white and green parts up nice and small. Saute them in olive oil, sprinkle some dill weed (depending on your taste), a splash or 2 of lemon juice and salt and pepper.

After the scallions seem nice and sauted add the drained dry spinach and mix together and cook some more. To get all the flavors combined. Let cool.

In a very large bowl crumble up the feta. Try to smash it up as much as possible. Add 1/2 of the container of cottage cheese (I wasn't so sure about the cottage cheese but you can't tell). Though next time I will add 1 more pack of feta and 1 more pack of spinach. Combine feta and cottage cheese until they are mixed.

To large bowl of feta cottage cheese mixture add the spinach mixture. Mix really well. Eat some now if you must.

In another bowl crack the eggs and stir like crazy. Now add this to the spinach and cheese mixture. Mix everything up really good.

Open up 1 bag of boil in bag rice and mix throughout the spinach and cheese mixture. This will help to absorb any extra moisture from the spinach. This is actually the way they serve it at that restaurant. I was not aware they were being sneaky. lol

Now the fun part. Working with the phyllo dough. But I think I outsmarted it! I used Pam instead of brushing melted butter with a pastry brush on each sheet of it. I was scared that it would not turn out right but it seems and tastes just fine to me.

I used an 8x12 sized pan. Spray pan all over the inside and up the sides of it.

Unwrap 1 of the rolls of phyllo dough. Take 1 piece (it is very thin) and place it inside the pan. Spray pam all over it. Take another piece and do the same. Each time 1 piece at a time with Pam sprayed on it. Do this with about half of the roll (say 10 to 12 sheets?). Now add your spinach mixture evenly all on top of the sheets of phyllo dough. Now do the same exact thing with remaining sheets making sure to spray them. I read that you should score the top sheet to make things easier when cutting. Go for it if you want to. Spray top sheet as well.

Now throw it in the oven and check it at about 15 minutes to get an idea. Turn it around if needed. Put it back in for another 10 to 20 minutes depending on your oven. It should look pretty and golden. I highly recommend adding the rice because of the moisture of the spinach. My phyllo dough did not at all taste doughy and I am guessing this was the reason.

I have heard so many horror stories about how hard it is to work with phyllo dough. I didn't think it was bad. Of course I didn't make anything fancy I just layered them. I plan to make a Greek apple pastry with the remaining phyllo dough in a few weeks. I will again layer them in a pan.

Calorie and fat content: I have no clue! Just eat it and enjoy!!!