A touch of mint brightens this easy-to-make version of a favorite Greek dish. This recipe is a great choice if you're craving spanakopita but don't have fresh herbs on hand. You don't even need dried mint in your spice rack -- just use the contents of an herbal mint teabag!
Serves 6 to 8.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 10-ounce pakages frozen chopped spinach
- 16 ounces (one pound) feta cheese, crumbled (cows' or sheeps' milk)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried mint, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 16 sheets phyllo dough (aka filo or fillo)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9" x 11" or 9" x 13" baking dish.
Prepare the spinach according to package directions. Drain well, pressing out any excess liquid.
In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, feta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, mint, and nutmeg. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Trim the stack of phyllo sheets to fit your baking pan, if necessary. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the baking dish, and cover the rest with a slightly damp kitchen towel (this will keep them from drying out as you work). Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet evenly with extra-virgin olive oil. Repeat the process with 7 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with olive oil before adding the next.
Pour the spinach-feta mixture into the baking dish, and spread evenly over the phyllo. Top the spinach with the 8 remaining sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with olive oil before adding the next.
Brush the last sheet of phyllo generously with olive oil. Using a sharp knife, score the top layers of phyllo to allow steam to escape as the spanakopita bakes (do not cut through the bottom layers).
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown. Remove the spanakopita from the oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.