Ingredients
- 2 C Feta Cheese
- 2 tbs Flour
- 1 C Shallot chopped
- 3 tbs Butter
- 2 C Cottage Cheese
- 1 lb Phyllo Dough
- 1 cup Melted Butter
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 lb Spinach frozen
- 1/2 tsp Oregano chopped
- 1 tbs Basil chopped
- 2 tsp Fennel
Instructions
Steam and Chop Spinach. Salt and Pepper lightly and cook, adding to water for 5 minutes.
Cook shallots in 3 tbs Butter, Salt, and Pepper lightly. Combine with remaining ingredients and Spinach.
To Assemble:
1 package of defrosted phyllo dough and 1/2 lb melted butter. Spread melted butter on a 9 x13 pan. Place a sheet in the pan, let the edges climb the pan sides, brush generously with butter and layer the phyllo sheets one on top of the other, brushing with butter. When you have eight leaves, spread 1/2 of the filling.-Stack eight leaves on top. Don’t skimp on the butter; apply the rest of the filling, extending it to the edge. Fill as many layers of fill and butter as needed. Butter the topmost leaf and add fennel seeds on top with a sprinkle of salt and Pepper.
Place in the oven at 350 for 70 minutes
I’ve tried about three recipes for spanakopita in the last year. You should never mess with your mom’s recipe. It’s always the best. My mom whips up this recipe for special lunches for friends. Usually, she would make it for dinner once a year, and it was always one of my favorites. It’s not extremely complicated, but it does take a bit of time. You just have to become one with the butter and ensure not to tear the delicate phyllo dough sheets. Don’t worry. No one’s looking – just do the best you can. There’s no phyllo dough police out there watching you.
I usually preheat the oven when I start the assembly, so the oven is good and hot. Your spanakopita is ready when it gets this nice and golden on the top.
The spanakopita is excellent just out of the oven, so the flaky, buttery dough is perfectly paired with the spinach stuffing, but leftovers maybe even better!