# Spanokopita Revisited



## Gossie (Dec 28, 2006)

I FINALLY had a few minutes to spend on making this.  Ayrton, I took your advice and I used a pie dough.  And I kept it simple, I used spinach (frozen), feta, rice, 2 small chopped onions, and 2 eggs.  It came out absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!    

We decided that next time I'll use a 2 pie pans instead of one long 9x12 pan. I made it a bit thick (too high), the insides were just warm, not hot.   LoL


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## kitchenelf (Dec 28, 2006)

Wow - pie dough?  That's a different way to make it and apparently it worked!

I'd love to see your recipe as I've never seen one with rice either.  Ya' learn something new everyday here!


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## Gossie (Dec 29, 2006)

First off, do a search on Spanokopita, Ayrton gave a great explanation, along with ingredients.  Why am I sending you there?   Cuz I'm not good at using exact measurements. LoL  I usually go on ideas. 

I bought the Pillsbury already made pie crusts.  I used the whole package, melding together two crusts for the bottom and two crusts for the top (because I used such a large baking pan). I brushed both the bottom of the pan, and each pie crust, w/melted butter. 

Here's where I'm not sure, I think I used TWO of the BAGS of frozen chopped spinach.  It might have been one, but I'm pretty sure I used two.  Why don't I just write these things down when I do them, even if they do come out bad, so I know not to try that one again.  LoL  Dropped these into a wire strainer and let them drip dry, and even squeezed them some too. 

2 eggs, well stirred
2 onions, diced and cooked

FETA:  I used what looked right to me.  Ayrton said SOFT feta, so I squished the might out of that feta and added a little light cream. By the time I got thru with that, it almost looked like ricotta.  I'm gonna try ricotta in it at another time. 

I cooked rice about one half the time I usually cook it, as I knew when I put it in the oven, it would cook the rest way.  I would say that it was about 2 cups half way cooked rice. 

I didn't have dill, fresh or dry.  I put a bit of pepper, and a little oregano.  Feta goes good with oregano, figured it wouldn't hurt to try it.  

Mix these ingredient all together, taste, add extra seasoning if needed.

Put it inside the baking pan that was already lined with the bottom crust, put the top crust on, brushed it with melted butter like I said before.  

350 degrees.  It was supposed to be in 20 minutes, but I made that sucker so thick, that it took about 45 minutes to cook it thru.  hehe


You would think this combination would be a bit soggy because of the light cream, but it wasn't.  

Let me know how it turns out.


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## Sararwelch (Dec 29, 2006)

I make this all the time. You could probably add a crust to it, but it's also good as is.


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## XeniA (Dec 29, 2006)

Gossie said:
			
		

> I FINALLY got a few minutes to spend on making this. Ayrton, I took your advice and I used a pie dough. And I kept it simple, I used spinach (frozen), feta, rice, 2 eggs. It came out beautiful and was DELICIOUS!!!!
> 
> We decided that next time I'll use a 2 pie pans instead of one long 9x12 pan. I made it a bit thick (too high), the insides were just warm, not hot. LoL


 
Hey Gossie!

Obviously, I'm both thrilled and honored by your post. And since I'm also not an exact-measurements sort of cook, happy to hear that my instructions allowed you to substitute and wing it and still get great results. Isn't a _good_ spankopita a lovely thing?!

As for your later post, just wanted to say that I might not use frozen spinach, but of course not only can I source fresh spinach incredibly easily (twice-weekly neighborhood farmers' market) but I live in a community and within a family for whom the more labor-intensive option of fresh spinach is the norm, not the exception. I have no doubt that subbing frozen spinach but still paying attention to other details would result in a delicious spankopita!

Your softening of the feta with cream sounds like a brilliant idea. How was the result? DID it melt down among the greens?!

By the way, until the last year or so, I always did what you do -- made all sorts of changes to recipes I failed to note down and thereafter, like you, regretted. Obviously I don't need to tell you to try to mend your ways, do I?

Again, thanks for your post. Bon apetit!


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## Gossie (Dec 29, 2006)

It sorta all melted through.  All I know was that it was incredibly delicious and I had two large pieces in one serving, which I usually don't.


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## Shunka (Dec 29, 2006)

This is making my mouth water sooooo bad!!! I'll have to try this soon!!!


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## kitchenelf (Dec 29, 2006)

Gossie said:
			
		

> First off, do a search on Spanokopita, Ayrton gave a great explanation, along with ingredients.  Why am I sending you there?   Cuz I'm not good at using exact measurements. LoL  I usually go on ideas.



I've used the same recipe for about 25 years, I've just never seen a recipe that calls for using pie dough.    I've also always used sauteed onions and dill.

And, with proper sqeezing of water, frozen spinach works just fine.

Now, I wonder how adding a little arugula to the spinach would work?  I have been using this mix in my salads and love the bite of arugula - mmmm....I may have to make this soon!!!!!!!!!!


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## boufa06 (Dec 30, 2006)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> I've used the same recipe for about 25 years, I've just never seen a recipe that calls for using pie dough.    I've also always used sauteed onions and dill.
> 
> And, with proper sqeezing of water, frozen spinach works just fine.
> 
> Now, I wonder how adding a little arugula to the spinach would work?  I have been using this mix in my salads and love the bite of arugula - mmmm....I may have to make this soon!!!!!!!!!!


 The pie you have been doing using phyllo sheets is the traditional Spanakotiropita that I make and yes, onions and dill should be added to it at all times to give it a more balance taste.  Adding arugula sounds a great idea and I am sure it will really taste yummy.  BTW Spanakopita is usually referred to as Spinach Pie (without feta cheese).


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## BreezyCooking (Dec 30, 2006)

I agree Boufa - my grandmother always added a little chopped onion & chopped fresh dill to her Spanokapita.  She always used phyllo & made them in long rolled "strudels", rather than the little triangles that are so popular these days.

Of course, like with nearly everything having to do with food & cooking, there are probably a gazillion variations that are equally delicious.


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## Gossie (Dec 31, 2006)

I went back and edited.  I did forget to put the onions in the recipe.     I sorry, my brain is somewhat on the old, decrepit side. LOL


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## colleenjgusa (Jan 6, 2007)

My husband is from Bosnia and they call it Pita there. But it is not made with rice. They make their own dough which is incredibly hard for me so I just use phyllo dough. The recipe he has includes butter to keep the layers moist, heavy cream, spinach, salt and pepper to taste and feta cheese. we roll it into snake like shapes and swirl it in a circular pan from his country. It's very delicate, gets nice and brown and crunchy on top. He likes it with sour cream.


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## Aria (Jan 6, 2007)

Hello,  I came in late.  What, where is the recipe for the Spanokopita? Gossie did you post it originally?  Lost.  Please help...all above sounds delicious.


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## Robo410 (Jan 6, 2007)

Had friends over today and served a "simple spinach crustless quiche"  chopped spinach, feta, swiss, cottage cheese, eggs, nutmeg, cayenne.  bakes up and is a great meatless entree or appetizer.  Always disappears fast.  So whatever form one makes of this spinach and feta delight, it seems to be a winner!


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## Gossie (Jan 7, 2007)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> I've used the same recipe for about 25 years, I've just never seen a recipe that calls for using pie dough.    I've also always used sauteed onions and dill.



That's cuz Ayrton made up the pie crust herself.  Usually it's made with phyllo dough.  I don't have the room in my kitchen to play with the phyllo dough, so decided to incorporate Ayrton's idea of pie crust.   She is such a really smart and inventive cook.  Let's all pick up a ticket for Greece and stay at her house for a month a two.  LoL    just kidding hehe


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## Gossie (Jan 7, 2007)

Aria said:
			
		

> Hello,  I came in late.  What, where is the recipe for the Spanokopita? Gossie did you post it originally?  Lost.  Please help...all above sounds delicious.



LoL 

If you see the long winded reply I made earlier, it does have a recipe within, you just have to figure out what is recipe and what is note.  hehehe

If I ever get it into what looks like recipe form, I'll be sure to post it here :=)  
HONEST!!!


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## Gossie (Jan 7, 2007)

Robo410 said:
			
		

> Had friends over today and served a "simple spinach crustless quiche"  chopped spinach, feta, swiss, cottage cheese, eggs, nutmeg, cayenne.  bakes up and is a great meatless entree or appetizer.  Always disappears fast.  So whatever form one makes of this spinach and feta delight, it seems to be a winner!




Hmmmmm Quiche .. hadn't thought of that.  THANK YOU!!!

I've made scrambled eggs with spinach and garlic and onion and feta and s&p.   This is good too.


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## XeniA (Jan 7, 2007)

Gossie said:
			
		

> That's cuz Ayrton made up the pie crust herself.  Usually it's made with phyllo dough.  I don't have the room in my kitchen to play with the phyllo dough, so decided to incorporate Ayrton's idea of pie crust.   She is such a really smart and inventive cook.  Let's all pick up a ticket for Greece and stay at her house for a month a two.  LoL    just kidding hehe



Gosh, Gossie. What a generous and kind comment!

The truth is perhaps more that as a foreigner here, I feel a little less bound by tradition than many Greeks might. Besides, I _like_ to bend rules!

I also, however, have the advantage by living here of being exposed to a million variations of Greek dishes, spanakopita being one of them. As I'd said in my original post, there are any number of "traditional" crusts, of which phyllo is only one. I don't happen to like it very much, preferring the Greek "kourou" for its better re-heating properties if nothing else, and since a standard American/English pie crust is quite similar, it wasn't much of a jump for me to try it out when I wanted to make a crust rather than buy it ready...

After all, "necessity is the mother of invention"?!

Kidding or not, you'd all be very welcome -- I'd love nothing more than to have the chance to introduce you to some Greek favorites and show you how they're made. (Boufa, shall we count you in?!)


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## boufa06 (Jan 7, 2007)

Ayrton said:
			
		

> Kidding or not, you'd all be very welcome -- I'd love nothing more than to have the chance to introduce you to some Greek favorites and show you how they're made. (Boufa, shall we count you in?!)


 Ayrton, count me in.


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## Gossie (Jan 7, 2007)

My husband is Greek and he LOVES the way I did it.  He said it was a little different than the ones his Dad made, being that his Dad used phyllo dough. He said he would like me to make mine again, so it couldn't have been all bad. LOL


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## boufa06 (Jan 8, 2007)

Gossie said:
			
		

> My husband is Greek and he LOVES the way I did it.  He said it was a little different than the ones his Dad made, being that his Dad used phyllo dough. He said he would mine again, so it couldn't have been all bad. LOL


Nice to know that you have a very loving husband.


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## Gossie (Jan 8, 2007)

boufa06 said:
			
		

> Nice to know that you have a very loving husband.




It's nice to have a very loving husband. hehe


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