Spanakopita

These were spanakopita and mini crab cakes that were part of our holiday lineup of “Bites”.

To make the spanakopita you need:

1/2 package phyllo dough, thawed and kept moist by covering with plastic wrap and a damp towel
1 1/2 pounds of spinach, trimmed, washed, spun dry — about 1 1/2 cups cooked —
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
1 egg
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (be careful with the salt as feta can be quite salty)
1/2 cup clarified butter or ghee, melted and kept warm

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until limp, about 3-4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, stirring. When the spinach has cooked, drain well and squeeze. Chop coarsely and transfer to a bowl. Add feta cheese, dill, the egg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare phyllo wrappers — one at a time:

Cut phyllo lengthwise into 2-inch wide strips. Brush quickly with clarified butter. Place 2 teaspoons filling onto one corner of phyllo strip and fold up, as you would a flag, to form a triangle. Repeat with the rest of the phyllo and filling. Makes about 40 spanakopita. (You might have a bit of phyllo left over, which are perfect for mini-baklavas.)

I froze mine on a baking sheet and defrosted them prior to baking. Bake on a lightly-greased sheet at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

The crab cakes were simpler, it was the shaping that took some time. Recipe here.