There is something to be said for combining Spinach with feta and ricotta cheese! The sensation that it creates is amazing! The Greek do know how to eat! The creaminess of the ricotta, the saltiness of feta combine with earthy spinach to create a wholesome taste. Spanakopita is a Greek savory pastry belonging to the Burek family ( may be that's where borekas come from??!!) enjoyed either by way of Pie or cut into triangles.
According to Wikipedia "Spanakopita is similar to torta pasqualina, a traditional dish from Liguria, that is very common in Argentina and Uruguay." The world gets closer and closer in so many ways than just internet! Since I was planning to make it for a get together potluck, I thought of making it into triangles which makes it a great appetizer. Somehow making it into a pie gives me a main course feel!
Most of the steps are very similar while making triangles in the beginning. I have changed a little bit the way I cook. Instead of boiling the spinach, I steam them! Also I have omitted the eggs in the recipe. It dint cause any binding problems since I thought the cheese would do it perfectly by themselves (which they did). I also eliminated lots of fat by way of cutting down on large quantities of butter which is normally used for this recipe and added Olive oil to compensate for some of the butter. It does not affect the taste as such. Instead it helps the taste of spinach and cheese to shine through!I haven't followed any one particular recipe - just bits and pieces from quite a few available in the net.
Ingredients
About 3 bunches of fresh spinach (about 2 lbs, I think)
1 onion, chopped finely
6-8 spring onions (scallions),chopped
5 oz (150g) feta cheese, crumbled
3 oz (90g) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (35g or 1-1/4 oz) freshly grated vegetarian parmesan
1 tbsp fresh dill,chopped
1 generous pinch of nutmeg
About 1/2 cup fresh parsley,chopped (cilantro works well too)
12 sheets of filo pastry, thawed (Make your own from here)
About 3-4 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted + some olive oil (or more if required)
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