Spanakopita

In keeping with the L.O.V.E. for Greek food (and to accompany the side dish I prepared for a dinner date with my sissy), I found this recipe for spanakopita (spinach triangles) by Ina Garten...and it was so delicious! Make a bunch of these and freeze them - they cook up perfectly right out of the freezer (just extend the cooking time by 10 minutes) and hit every taste bud just right :)


Ingredients
1 package frozen spinach, thawed
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch scallions
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 sticks butter, melted
1 package phyllo dough, thawed


Directions
1. Open the package of frozen spinach and, over a strainer, squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Mince the garlic cloves and slice the scallions. Add to the olive oil and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add the pine nuts and frozen spinach. Season very generously with salt and pepper, and saute for 3 more minutes.

4. Chop the parsley and set aside.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the parsley. Let the mixture cool slightly (to avoid cooking the egg you're about to add).
6. Once cooled, add the feta cheese. Whisk the egg in a small dish and add to the spinach mixture. Stir to incorporate.

7. Melt two sticks of butter in the microwave, and set aside.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
9. Once the filling is ready, open the phyllo dough.
*Note: even though the package will say that the dough is "tear-resistant," it's not. So if you open your package and the dough has some tears in it, or it tears while you're working with it, it's not a problem. The butter you will be spreading on it will close up those tears just fine.

10. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and cut it in half lengthwise so you have two long strips. Place one of the halves to the side.

11. Take the other half and cut it in half again lengthwise so you now again have two long strips.

12. With a brush, spread some melted butter on one of these strips. Then place the second strip on top to make one thicker layer, and brush again with melted butter.
*Note: you don't need a lot of butter, so just lightly coat it or you might end up with a greasy finished product.

13. Spoon one tbsp. of the spinach mixture onto the left end of the strip, about one inch from the edge.

14. Fold the bottom left corner of the strip over the mixture until it meets the top of the strip. Push down gently so the dough sticks to itself.
*Note: if a little of the spinach mixture oozes out the side, it's okay. You're going to fold these little guys like mad, so it'll all be wrapped up eventually.

15. Now, you should see a little triangle beginning. Take it and fold it over along the right edge (where some filling may be oozing out of). Now, you have a thicker triangle.

16. Continue folding over, maintaining the triangle shape.

17. Now, you've got a nice little spinach-feta pocket.

18. Repeat this with all of the dough or until the filling is gone, cutting one sheet of phyllo dough at a time.
*Note: some guidelines state that you should cover your phyllo dough with a damp towel while it waits to be used...but I neglected to do this and it turned out just fine.


19. Once all your pockets are created, brush them with the remainder of melted butter. This ensures that they get nice and golden brown in the oven.

20. At this point, you can bake some or all of them, or throw them in the freezer for a later date. If you are going to freeze some, layer them with wax paper and place in an airtight container.
21. To bake, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
*Note: if you're baking frozen ones, bake for 35 minutes until heated through and golden.