Spanakopitakia - olive oil

Method

• Heat oil until shimmering.
• Saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent but not brown, 3-5 minutes.
• Add spinach, salt and pepper, cover tightly and cook until spinach wilts completely, stirring once or twice, 3-5 minutes total.
• Scrape the mixture into a sieve and let cool to room temperature.
• Squeeze out excess moisture, then chop until fairly small but not pasty.
• Stir in feta, parsley, mint, nutmeg and lemon juice.
• Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
• Beat egg lightly, then stir into spinach and cheese.
• Unwrap and unroll phyllo.
• Cover with a damp towel at any time it is not being used.
• Lay out one sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter.
• Place a scant 1/4 cup of filling in the center of the far edge of the pastry sheet.
• Fold one side over the filling lengthwise, brush with butter, then fold the other side over and brush with butter.
• You will have a long, narrow rectangle, 1/3 as wide as the original pastry sheet, with filling at the far end.
• Fold the filling end over, forming a triangle.
• Continue folding, maintaining the triangle shape (like folding a flag), brushing each dry surface with butter when it becomes exposed.
• When the last fold is made, place the packet on a baking sheet in the freezer.
• Repeat until all the pastry and filling are used up.
• When the packets are frozen solid, wrap tightly in foil, then store in an airtight bag until ready to use.
• Well-wrapped, they should last several months.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F Place the triangles on a foli-lined baking sheet, brush with melted butter and bake 30 minutes or until deep golden-brown.
• (If you choose not to freeze them first, they will not take as long to bake, so start checking after 15 minutes.
• ).