In one of my most recent releases, Home for the Honeymoon, my hero and heroine (Jacob and Clara Mosby) have a Christmas Eve wedding… in the middle of a snowstorm. So this month I’m sharing recipes from the wedding reception that occurred in the tiny town of Kingsmill, Virginia, deep in the Shenandoah Mountains, during the worst blizzard in twenty years.

Today we’re serving a variation on Spanakopita, a savory Greek spinach pie. This recipe uses a combination of onions and some mint to update the flavors. It’s not hard to make if you use premade frozen puff pastry (which I always do!) and frozen chopped spinach. Just make sure to really, really drain the spinach well in a colander and then wrap it in paper towels to get out all the extra moisture. Otherwise your appetizer will be too gooey. I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s perfect for this time of year and can even be served as a side dish.


Spinach and Feta Appetizers

Course Appetizer
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Servings 20

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces of frozen spinach defrosted and drained in a colander
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • cup Vidalia onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • ½ cup parsley leaves chopped
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • 4 ounces ricotta cheese drained
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 8 Tablespoons salted butter melted
  • 20 sheets of phyllo dough thawed

Instructions

  1. To make sure the spinach is as dry as possible, wrap the defrosted spinach in paper towels and twist and squeeze until the water is removed. Put the dry spinach in a large bowl.

  2. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 – 45 seconds. Add the onions and garlic into the spinach bowl. Stir until well mixed.

  3. Stir the dill, parsley, lemon zest, black pepper, feta cheese, drained ricotta and beaten egg into the spinach mixture. Mix well, but gently.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. On top of the parchment, lay out one layer of phyllo dough. Brush this dough with butter and lay another piece of phyllo dough on top. Add another layer of butter and phyllo dough until you have three layers of phyllo dough and butter. Brush the top of the third layer with butter as well.

  5. Spread the spinach mixture evenly on top of the dough. Then add another three layers of phyllo dough, with butter in between, on top of the spinach. Brush the last sheet of dough, on top, with butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden but not too browned.

  6. Cool for ten minutes and cut into squares or triangles, whichever you prefer. Serve immediately. Or these can also be served at room temperature. These can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Makes about 40 appetizers.

Similar Posts