Spinach Pie - Spinakaopitakia

Spinakopitakia - can also be made without spinach (just cheese)

1 lb white cheese ( combo of feta, ricotta - I usually use cottage cheese because I don't usually have ricotta on hand)

2 - large eggs

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp pepper

12 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach - squeezed to get all the water out.

melted butter (or if you can find spray olive oil you can use that instead)

filo pastry

Preheat oven to 350 

1.  Mix cheeses, eggs, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg and spinach together.  set aside as you prepare the filo pastry.  

2.  lightly grease baking sheet

3.  Remove Filo from package and without unrolling, cut a 3 inch piece off the end of the roll.  Wrap remainder of Filo in a damp towel or plastic wrap to keep moist.

4.  Unroll, separate and lay 3 inch strips side by side on a clean surface

5. Brush strips with melted butter using a wide pastry brush. (or if you can find spray olive oil - that would work too)

6.  Place about 1 Tablespoon of cheese/spinach mixture at one end of the strip of Filo.  Fold right hand corner over to meet left edge - like you would fold an American Flag.  Continue folding the entire strip - should form a neat triangular envelope.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

7.  Continue with the rest of the Filo and filling.

8..  Line up triangles on lightly greased baking sheet

9.  Bake at 350 until golden brown - about 10-12 minutes.  After 6 minutes turn each one over to achieve even browning.

You can also make in a cake pan - place a sheet of Filo that has been brushed with butter in baking dish.  Repeat 8-10 times.  Spoon in spinach/cheese mixture.  Repeat with Filo - 8-10 sheets.  Cut into squares before baking. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

These may be baked until light brown and froze. then re-heated just before serving OR they may be frozen raw.  Remove from freezer and let thaw for 15 minutes withe the oven is preheating.  Bake as indicated above.