More Phyllo fun: SPANAKOPITA

A complex savory filling complements the flaky shell.

Well, people, I am on a roll!  It's as if a monster has been unleashed.  Once I had success with the phyllo mushroom bites I made last this week I just had to try making a Greek favorite of mine, Spanakopita.  They came out GREAT and rival any I've had at area restaurants.  Just look how beautiful they are!  I based the recipe on one that I found at epicurious.com, but changed it around a good bit in order to suit on-hand ingredients and personal taste.

The end result is below.

Perfect spinach-filled triangles await baking.

SPANAKOPITA

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

3 scallions, chopped

1 10-oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

10 small, pitted black olives, finely diced

Juice of half of a lemon

1 8-oz. pkg. crumbled Feta

10 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, saute onions and garlic until tender.  Stir in EXTREMELY well-drained spinach, olives, black pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Remove from heat and cool, about 10 minutes.  Stir in Feta cheese.

Melt remaining 1 stick butter in a small saucepan, then cool.

Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel.

Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keeping remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with more butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack crosswise into 6 (roughly 12- by 2 3/4-inch) strips.

Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangle shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on a large baking sheet and brush top with butter. Make more triangles in same manner, using all of phyllo.

Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

Seasoned Toasted Pecans

With the fast approach of the holiday season having the larder well stocked with drinks and snacks for drop-in guests is a must, not to mention a great way to treat yourself after a long day of shopping, decorating, or trimming the tree.  Here is a recipe that is quick and easy and always a hit.  Watch your guests as they reach for a couple.  They'll pop them into their mouths expecting the traditional pecan, but instead will make satisfying yummy sounds, and reach for more.  This is usually followed by, "Boy these are good," a note of surprise in their voice.  It never fails. I served these with drinks before dinner and the Rams game yesterday and they elicited the usual response.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Measure out 4 cups of pecans
 and place into a large bowl.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan and add:

 4 teaspoons Worchestershire Sauce
 1 Tablespoon garlic salt
 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin

Mix well.

Drizzle melted butter and seasonings over
pecans and toss to coat.





Sprinkle pecans with 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar.  Toss again.

When completely coated with seasonings and sugar, pour onto rimmed cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring periodically to assume uniform toasting.

When toasted, remove from oven and pour
onto paper towels to allow excess butter to be absorbed.  Cool.  Store in airtight containers.

Bet you can't eat just one!

This post is linked to Tuesdays at the Table.