Spanakopita (Spinach and Feta pie)

This is a fairly simple recipe, which I've varied a little. The most labor-intensive part is working with the phyllo dough, and I'll give you some options for that at the end of this post. It's definitely not something I make just to snack on at home, it's party/dinner guest food.

You need:

1 stick butter
1 lb thawed and drained frozen spinach
1/2 lb feta, crumbled (scant 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 an onion, chopped
Salt, to taste
10 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Instructions:

• Mix together the spinach, chopped onion, nutmeg, feta, and salt
  

Now, here is where it becomes more complicated. You need to keep the phyllo sheets moist, but not wet, a very slightly damp towel helps, with a layer of plastic wrap under it.

Assembly option 1 (for finger food):

• Take 1 phyllo sheet and brush with melted 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.
• Repeat until out of phyllo

Assembly option 2 (as a main dish):

• Take 1 phyllo sheet and brush with melted butter
• Repeat with another phyllo sheet until you have a stack of 10 or so sheets
• Place stack of buttered sheets and place in a lasagna dish
• Top with spinach mixture
• Make another stack of 10 buttered sheets and place on top, being sure to brush top with butter

Bake either method in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, then cool. If you use the triangle method, you can freeze the uncooked triangles and bake later (without thawing first).