Food Friday: spanakopita

There's nothing like spanakopita in the summer. This meal is light, full of spinach and completely delicious. I'm still attempting to perfect a feta dill sauce so, for the time being I eat my spanakopita plain, with a side of salad. 

I've used a couple of spanakopita recipes over the years, but this one was my most recent find. Although I can't say this was the best recipe ever* I can, and will, say it was pretty tasty!  

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lb frozen spinach, thawed and chopped   1 medium onion, chopped 1 bunch scallions, chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped* 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoons butter  2/3 cup olive oil  1/2 pound feta 1 1/2 cup ricotta** 8 ounces cream cheese***

*I only had dry parsley so I used half 
**I used cottage cheese instead since I had some around
***I used half the cream cheese because it scared me

The best thing about this particular recipe is it barely makes a mess - one pot, one baking dish and voila! 

Begin by preheating the over to 400. Grab a big pot, heat it over medium on the stove. Add in the butter, spinach, onions and scallions and saute until tender. Add cheeses, oil, herbs; mix well. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

The recipe that I used [here], made their own phyllo pastry... me? not so much. I bought President's Choice brand and then used it as you would the fresh, amazing kind. 

Line a greased 9x13 inch baking dish with a sheet of phyllo. Use at least ten layers of phyllo on the bottom, buttering between layers. Add the spinach mixture and fold the bottom layers up and over the mixture. Add another ten layers of phyllo on top, buttering between each.

Brush the top layer of phyllo with a beaten egg and then bake for 45 minutes.  

Notes:

Reasons I can't say this is the best recipe ever:

1. Because I've had equally delicious spanakopita that did not include cream cheese and a recipe that has fewer ingredients that still tastes amazing, obviously is a winner.

2. The phyllo ratio was not the best... this is likely totally my fault 


I will be attempting, and blogging, a different spanakopita sometime in the future... 
be excited, I will be making triangles!