SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH AND FETA PIE)

Steps:

• Combine butter and olive oil in large heavy pan and fry onion and garlic until soft.
• Wash and drain spinach and remove thick stalks, then blanch for a minute or two in boiling water.
• Add blanched spinach to onion and garlic mix and cook for further 5 minutes or so.
• Spinach should be deep green colour and stalks should be tender.
• Add eggs (I use no eggs, but the traditional receipe calls for them) and dill.
• Crumble feta into pan and stir well for a minute or two.
• Eggs should be cooked by then.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Butter baking pan.
• If using phyllo, separate sheets, and brush each sheet individually with melted butter.
• Use 15-20 sheets, and overlap them, making sure that sheets hang well over the edge of the pan.
• If using short-crust or puff pastry, roll out a sheet big enough to line pan with plenty hanging outside.
• If making bite-sized pies cut squares approximately 2 1/12" square.
• Drain spinach mixture by pressing lightly and allowing liquid to drain into a cup or bowl.
• The filling should not be too wet or the pastry gets mushy.
• It should also not be too dry or the pie is not juicy enough.
• Put filling into pastry and bring edges up to enclose filling.
• (Fill each bite-size square with a spoonfull or so, fold over pastry into a triangle).
• Seal by crimping, tucking in, or any means that work.
• Score the top lightly, not enough to reach filling, and brush with egg.
• Bake in moderate oven until pastry is golden and done.
• Good hot or cold.