Spanakopita

By Cathe Olson

This delicious Greek pie will give you your daily dose of greens and more. It is very easy to make so you may want to make an extra to freeze. The Fillo Factory makes organic, vegan phyllo dough with no hydrogenated oils. It comes in unbleached white flour, spelt and whole wheat varieties and is available at many natural foods stores and supermarkets.

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped (about 10 cups)

2 eggs 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh

1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)

Black pepper to taste

8 sheets phyllo dough, preferably whole grain

Olive oil for brushing dough

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Warm oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and saut? 2 minutes, or until soft. Add spinach to pan. (It looks like a lot of spinach but just pack it in. It will cook down.) Cover pan and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Transfer to a colander and let it drain.

In bowl, beat eggs and dill. Stir in cheese and spinach. Season with black pepper. You can add sea salt but the salt from the feta is usually enough for me.

Set up your work station. Unwrap phyllo dough and cover it with a damp towel. Pour some olive oil into a bowl and get a pastry brush. Lightly brush a 10-inch pie or tart pan with olive oil. Place a sheet of phyllo in pan. Brush lightly with oil. Place a second sheet over the first but position it so the corners don't match up. Brush with oil. Repeat until you have four layers of phyllo. Spread the spinach filling evenly in pan. Turn the corners of the phyllo dough over filling. Layer 4 more sheets of phyllo over filling, brushing each piece with oil as before. Tuck corners under pie. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings

Variations:
Kale and Spinach Spanakopita - Substitute kale for up to 1/2 of the spinach.
Zucchini and Spinach Spanakopita - Finely dice 1 medium zucchini and sauté with spinach.