Tony’s Take on Spanakopita at Little Greek Fresh Grill

Ingredients

• 1 lb (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 lb (16 oz) phyllo dough, thawed (usually one box)
• 10 oz feta cheese, crumbled (buy the block, crumble it yourself)
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (clarified is better if you have the patience)
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Garlic Sauté Finishing Salt (for the filling)
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. THE CRITICAL STEP: Place the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out. Twist until you physically cannot squeeze another drop of liquid out. If the spinach is wet, the phyllo dies. Period.
3. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the yellow onion and scallions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry spinach, sautéed onion mixture, crumbled feta, parsley, dill, and the Garlic Sauté Finishing Salt. Mix well.
5. Add the beaten eggs to the spinach mixture. This acts as our binder (Tony's Law #2: Baked cheese needs a binder). Stir until fully incorporated.
6. Brush a 9x13 inch baking pan with melted butter. Unroll the phyllo dough and keep it covered with a slightly damp towel to prevent drying out.
7. Layering Phase 1: Place one sheet of phyllo in the pan. Brush generously with melted butter. Repeat this process with half of the phyllo sheets (approx 10-12 sheets).
8. Spread the spinach and feta filling evenly over the bottom layer of pastry.
9. Layering Phase 2: Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing every single sheet with butter as you stack them. Brush the final top layer liberally.
10. Using a sharp knife, score the top layers of the pastry into squares or rectangles (do not cut all the way through to the bottom). This vents steam and prevents the top from shattering when you slice it later.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and flaky.
12. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting all the way through. Serve with a side of tzatziki. DUNZO!