Making Triangle Spanakopitas

Here's a yummy little something that will fuel you while you quilt (works for me!) and it's a great way to use your spinach crop. ;o)  I warn you that you won't be able to eat just one and you can count yourself lucky if you have leftovers.  If you don't like having leftovers, I could send you my two hollow legged teens to take care of your leftovers. No? ;o) 

Spanakopitas

• 2 bunches of fresh spinach (trim stems and wash thoroughly)
• 3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 8oz. (240g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 small onion, finely chopped *sometimes I sautee my onion and let it cool before I add to the filling, but using the onion raw works as they will cook when you bake the spanakopitas
• 1tsp. dried oregano
• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 package of filo pastry* (available frozen from most supermarkets or fresh at specialty shops)
• olive oil (and a pastry brush for spreading oil on filo) *if using frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)

2. Steam spinach, drain and squeeze out excess water. Coarsely chop spinach and set aside to cool.

3. Combine eggs, feta, onion, oregano and black pepper in a medium size mixing bowl. Once the spinach is cool, stir into the egg/cheese mixture. 

 Remove 2 sheets of filo, (keep the remaining filo sheets between slightly damp tea towels, until needed, as filo dries out quickly) stack one on top of the other on work surface and brush sheets lightly with olive oil.  Using a sharp knife (or a pizza cutter), cut the sheet into 6 strips.

 Place a tablespoon of the egg/cheese filling onto one end of each of the 6 strips. Carefully fold over the filo to encase the filling, folding one strip at a time on angles to form triangles. (In the photo below, I show the sequence of how I fold each strip using the 6 strips to demonstrate one step in the folding sequence after another.  example: my first fold of filo goes to the left, then to the right, back to the left, then to the right...continue until reaching the end of the strip of filo).  The filling is now securely encased in filo.  Repeat making the spanakopitas in this way, remembering to keep the unused filo protected,  until needed.

 Place the finished triangles onto a pan (preferable to use a pan with sides as sometimes the filling escapes when the spanakopitas are baking). 

 Bake at 375 F for 40-45 minutes. Spanakopitas can be enjoyed fresh from the oven or the next day served at room temperature.  My family even likes to eat them cold or for take along lunches.  Refrigerate or freeze any spanakopitas that are left.