Spanakopetes

Ingredients

• 1.1 onion, medium; chopped
• 2.30 gram butter, 2 tablespoons
• 3.500 gram fresh spinach, washed and chopped; hard centre stalks removed; or use frozen — defrost and drain
• 4.250 gram feta cheese, crumbled; ½ lb
• 5.50 millilitre parmesan cheese, grated; 4 tablespoons
• 6.3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 7.125 gram spring onion, chopped; ½ cup
• 8.3 millilitre salt, approximately ½ teaspoon
• 9.3 millilitre nutmeg, ground; approximately ¼ teaspoon
• 10.3 millilitre black pepper, ground; approximately ½ teaspoon
• 11.60 millilitre breadcrumbs, ½ cup
• 12.125 gram phyllo pastry, cut into long strips about 6 cm (2") wide
• 13.125 millilitre butter or margarine, melted; for brushing; ½ cup

Method

1. 1.Sauté the onion in butter until golden. Add the spinach and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated.
2. 2.Stir in the feta cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, spring onion, seasonings and breadcrumbs.
3. 3.Cut phyllo into long strips about 6cm (2") wide. Brush one strip at a time with melted butter. KEEP THE PHYLLO NOT BEING USED COVERED AT ALL TIMES WITH WAXED PAPER AND A LIGHTLY DAMPENED TOWEL.
4. 4.Put 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture at one end of each strip and fold over and over again into a small triangle. With each fold, make sure the bottom edge is parallel with the alternate edge. Brush with melted butter on both sides.
5. 5.Place triangles on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 210°C (425°F) for 15–20 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.

Notes

• Card note: 'The spanakopetes freeze very well unbaked. Flash freeze and then put in layers in a Tupperware box between layers of greaseproof. Bake frozen.'
• Alternative method on card: can also be made as a spinach pie in a pyrex dish — layer buttered phyllo, spinach filling, more phyllo, cut into squares, sprinkle top with water before baking to prevent edges curling.
• Card subtitle: '(Spinach cheese puffs)'
• Recipe spans pages 66–67 of salads.pdf.
• If using frozen spinach, defrost and drain well. If too wet, dry in a moderate oven.