ITKWM
Recipe of the Month:  APRIL 2000
SPINACH PIE
      Serves 12
From
"IN THE KITCHEN ~WITH MOM"  p. 8
                 Ellayne Sapienza
fleeceworks hotmail.com
I can remember my grandmother making phyllo from scratch when I was a child. I don't think there are too many people that do this today. As soon as frozen phyllo sheets became available at the markets, my mother started using the pre-made product.  My brother Dennis is one of those purists that continues to roll out his own phyllo dough when he makes spinach rolls for his family.  There is a special feature at the end of my recipe  showing Dennis  making the rolls with his homemade phyllo while I was  on a recent visit to his home in California.  It was delicious!!
        4 10 oz. bags spinach
         4 eggs, slightly beaten
         2 pounds feta cheese, 1/2 inch cubes
         2 teaspoons black pepper
         1 pound phyllo dough
      1/4 cup Mazola oil
      1/2 stick butter    
Prepare a table or countertop for drying the spinach.  Put several layers of newspapers on the surface, and cover them with paper towels.
Chop the spinach, discard tough stems and wash.  Squeeze out excess water and spread the spinach out over the prepared surface.  Let it dry for several hours or overnight.  Put the spinach in a large container.  Add the eggs, feta cheese and pepper and gently mix  with the spinach.
Melt the butter and combine with the Mazola.

SPINACH ROLLS
To make spinach rolls, fold a sheet of phyllo in half, brush with the butter/oil mixture, and place about 1/2 cup of the spinach filling along one short edge of the folded sheet.  Start rolling the sheet over the filling, folding in the sides as you continue to make the roll.  Place the roll on a greased baking sheet, seam side down, and brush it with the butter oil mixture.  Continue making the rolls in this manner with the remaining phyllo and filling.  Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for about 45 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Makes 20 rolls.  Can be served hot or cold.

SPINACH PIE
You can also make the spinach pie layered in a baking pan.  Butter the bottom of a 9 X 13 X 2 inch baking pan and place 10  to 12 layers of phyllo on the bottom, brushing with the butter/oil mixture between the layers.
(A sheet of phyllo is 14 X 18 inches.   One sheet, folded in half will make 2 layers in the baking pan.)  Fill the center with the spinach filling and finish with another 10-12 layers of phyllo.  Cut into 3 inch squares before baking.  Drizzle any remaining butter/oil mixture over the top and bake at 350*F for about an hour.  Makes 12 squares.   This is a quicker, easier method than the rolls, but the rolls are nice for special occasions as a finger food appetizer.

NOTES
Many recipes for spinach pie include other ingredients such as dill, parsley, garlic, onions and scallions.  My family always made spinach pie without these additions, preferring the taste combination of the spinach and feta cheese alone, but feel free to add these if you want to.  The amounts for the above recipe would be as follows:
1 bunch parsley, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic, saute'ed in olive oil
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh dill weed, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped and saute'ed in olive oil
1 onion, chopped and saute'ed in olive oil

I have seen recipes that use some or all of these ingredients, so feel free to experiment- be creative! 



        SPECIAL FEATURE-
    GUEST CHEF OF THE MONTH
                   Dennis Elias
CLICK HERE TO SEE A
DEMONSTRATION OF
HOMEMADE PHYLLO!
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1