Spanakopitakia (Mini Greek Spinach Pastries) - Food Cravings Network

A delicious, mini version, of the classic Greek Spanakopita. These mini spinach pies are super easy to make and freeze for later, making a great side or starter to any meal!

Spanaki = Spinach
Pita = Pie
Kia = Diminutive for "Little"

I understand that phyllo dough is intimidating to some, as it is paper thin, but I have to reassure you that it is nothing to be afraid of. I always buy my phyllo dough frozen and allow it to come to room temperature slowly. Working with it is also very straight forward, the key being to keep the dough from getting dry. Always keep the dough covered with a damp kitchen towel when you are not working with it, and only take a few sheets out at a time.

Ingredients
~450g (Approximately 1 Pound) Washed Baby Spinach
~1 Box of Frozen Phyllo Dough
~1 Bunch of Fresh Dill
~1 Cup of Fresh Parsley
~2 Fresh Leeks
~1 Bunch of Spring Onions
~2 Eggs
~1 Tbsp of Black Pepper
~2 Tbsp Greek Oregano
~250g Strained Ricotta Cheese
~500g Feta Cheese (or more if you like!!)
~Approximately 2 Cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
~Sesame Seeds for Topping

Directions
1) The night before you want to make your Spanakopitakia, simply remove the box of phyllo dough from your freezer and transfer it to the fridge without opening the box. On the morning of, take the box out of the fridge and place it on your kitchen counter for 2-3 hours before starting to work with it. This will ensure it has come to room temperature.

2) Take out a medium sized metal strainer and add a cheesecloth inside of it. Add your ricotta cheese on top and let it sit for a few hours before you begin. Pour your oil into a shallow bowl and set aside for later.

3) Roughly chop your pre-washed baby spinach and place it into a large mixing bowl.

4) Wash your spring onions and leeks thoroughly to remove any dirt. Chop them both into small pieces and add them to the bowl, use both the white and green parts of the vegetables! Do the same for the fresh dill and parsley, using both the leaves and stems. Add them to your bowl.

5) Squeeze the top parts of your cheesecloth and push out any remaining liquid that might be left from your ricotta cheese. The cheese should be thick and crumbly, not wet and mushy in consistency. Add it to your bowl once you are done.

5) Remove your feta cheese from its brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Pat dry with a paper towel and then add it to your bowl.

6) Add the black pepper and oregano to the bowl and a splash of oil.

7) Mix using clean hands for about 2 minutes or until it is properly combined. Taste the mixture to see if you need to add salt (The feta is already salty so I usually don't add salt!) Once you are satisfied, add your eggs into the bowl and mix again until combined. Do not over mix or else the mixture may become runny.

8) Remove your phyllo dough from its package and wrapper, then remove 1 sheet at a time and keep the rest of the sheets rolled underneath a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying. Try to handle the sheets gently to prevent excess tearing, if they do happen to tear, you can still use them!

9) Slice the phyllo dough sheet into 6 equal strips. Brush a layer of oil onto the sheet using a pastry brush or sprinkle some oil onto the sheets with your fingers. Spoon one heaping tablespoon of the mixture onto the end of the dough that is closest to you, remember not to over stuff them. Gently roll the Spanakopitakia starting from one end, fold over the other way, following the natural folds of the pita to shape a triangle. Once you are done, seal the last fold of phyllo with extra olive oil, then place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil paper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat until you have rolled all of your pitas.

10) Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. Enjoy with a nice Greek Village Salad to make this a complete meal!

Chef's Notes:
-To freeze, place the freshly rolled pitas (on a baking tray or plate lined with parchment paper/foil paper) into the freezer for about an hour, or until they are completely frozen. Remove them from the freezer, pull them off of the paper and place them into plastic bags. Keep them in the freezer for months! To cook, remove them from the bag and place them into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown. They freeze very well and are easy to bake straight from frozen.
-Ensure your phyllo is at room temperature! If you decide to make this recipe last minute without taking the necessary steps to thaw the phyllo dough properly, you will most likely end up with a soggy and wet pita! Two step method: fridge overnight, counter for 2-3 hour
-Rinse your feta and dry it with paper towel, this will remove excess salt. Ricotta Cheese should be strained using cheese cloth.

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#Spanakopita #SpinachPies #MiniSpinachPastry

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