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I had some leftover phyllo in the freezer from when I made chocolate baklava over the holidays and I had been contemplating what to do with it.  I saw Diana made this wonderful almond pastry (galette des rois) and really wanted to try that, but it used puff pastry not phyllo.  Hmmm, soon I had the idea to try my hand at spanakopita because I adore all things Greek and had never really tried making it before.  Well, it turned out nothing less than wonderful, as something wrapped in crispy, flaky dough would, and it just about tasted as good as the real thing!  Give it a try, it’s great for parties too (uh em SuperBowl) because it makes a butt load!  I have another fun appetizer to share as well 🙂

Spanakopita

Serves:  7-12 (as a main dish, probably double as an appetizer)

Ingredients

• 2lbs frozen spinach, thawed & drained really well (I used cheesecloth)
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped leeks (or a little less green onion)
• 8 oz feta, crumbled
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup olive oil or melted butter (I used the oil)
• Phyllo dough (standard package)

Directions

Drain spinach well in cheesecloth. (to clean leeks, cut lengthwise like below and rinse out with water)  In a large pan cook onion and leeks in oil.  Don’t brown.

Stir together onion mixture, feta cheese, parm, parsley and dill.  Beat eggs into onion mixture with spinach.
Stack 2 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with oil or butter.  Cut in half if making large triangles (this is what we did).  Cut smaller if making small appetizer pitas.

Place heaping tbsp or 2 at bottom of each length and fold back and forth into triangles (like folding a flag).

Place on baking sheet, brush with a little butter or oil and bake 350 for 40-50 minutes until golden.

For the chickpea salad:

• 1 3/4 cup water + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 cup TJ’s Harvest Blend (I loved this!  but you can also use cous cous, quinoa, etc)
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup Mediterranean feta
• several good glugs of rice wine vinegar

Cook Harvest blend or other grains according to package directions, let cool and add the remaining ingredients.  Easy!

This dish was really tasty and fun to eat.  With each bite the loud and flaky phyllo broke apart to reveal the cheesy, spinachy goodness within.  It was messy, but we sure enjoyed it!

In spirit of the SuperBowl, we made another tasty finger food for lunch today.  Using TJ’s Lavash bread I made turkey roll-ups!  They’re great for little appetizers and even filling enough for a meal.  Kids enjoy them too!

You can stuff them with pretty much anything.  Ours included Light Laughing Cow, TJ’s tomato basil hummus, oven roasted turkey breast, muenster cheese and spinach.  Roasted bell peppers, avocado, artichoke hearts, chicken salad, etc would also be great in there too.

Viola!  Simple as that.  Want some other recipe ideas?  Check out my recipe page that I’m working on.  Still have more to add, but it’s getting there.  It’s raining buckets here so I’m not sure a bike ride is in the cards for tomorrow 🙁

Are you going to or hosting a SuperBowl Party? I’ll be back with a re-cap of SwankyRD‘s party 🙂