Spanakopita

This is a classic holiday/entertaining appetizer in our home. They're so delicious, easy to make, and even easier to pop into the oven from our freezer in a moments notice. 

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic 

1/2 cup green onions

1 pound spinach (remove stems unless using baby spinach)

3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper

1 package of phyllo pastry dough

1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Saute garlic and onions in butter in a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Transfer to a bowl and let cool down until cool enough to handle. Drain spinach in a fine colander or sieve, squeezing out excess liquid. Chop cooked spinach and transfer back to bowl and add feta, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Lay out one sheet of phyllo on a counter and brush with melted butter. Lay down another sheet* on top and brush with melted butter. Cut sheet into 5 or 6 long strips. Place heaping teaspoon** of spinach filling onto corner of each strip.

Fold corner of phyllo over the filling to shape a triangle. Continue folding (like a flag) until you reach the end of the strip.

Place seam side down on baking sheet. Continue folding with the remaining phyllo and filling.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*If it looks like I only used one sheet in the folding photos up there, that's because I did. But then I realized my mistake and wrapped them in a second layer later. The second layer is a totally crucial part of the taste, so don't skip it!

**I probably used more than this which is why mine are bursting with filling.

These can be made ahead of time, frozen and then baked when needed. I recommend placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes before you put them in a freezer container.