OPA!! Today, the Phoody brings you a revised taste of the Greek isles. Only, our version is a little more westernized (translation…MORE CHEESE!) This recipe is fool proof, and sure to please the crowd.

Traditional Spanakopita calls for shallots, scallions and egg. However, The Phoody took some creative liberties. In place of these ingredients, I have substituted garlic for the the piquant flavor of the shallots and scallions, making the overall result more savory. I also substituted the egg for a few different cheeses, giving it the same hold, but more flavor. I urge you to do your thing, and try your own variation to suit your unique tastes. Serve with a nice Sauvignon Blanc…or a few shots of Ouzo.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package thawed Filo Dough
• 3 packages frozen chopped spinach
• 1 bunch parsley chopped
• 1 block cream cheese
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 5-6 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1 t. Kosher salt
• 1 t. fresh ground pepper
• 1 stick melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Thaw and squeeze liquid from spinach. Mix all ingredients except the fill dough and butter into a mixing bowl. Mix ingredients well using your hands.  3. Unroll thawed filo dough onto clean dry surface. Cut in half lengthwise and stack into one neat pile. 4. Spoon a heaping spoonful of spinach mixture onto one end of the pile of Filo strips. 5. Using three sheets of fill per pie, fold over (like a flag) to create a triangle shaped pocket. 6. Place folded pies onto a heavily buttered baking sheet. 7. Using a pastry brush, brush all surfaces of the pies with melted butter. 8. Bake until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately while still warm and crispy. Pair with some greek potatoes (see previous recipe). Fair warning, the filo will not remain crispy if you refrigerate left overs. You can re-bake the next day, but you probably won’t reach the same crispiness  as the first day. Either way, they will still taste amazing! – The Phoody