Spanakopita & phyllo dough

By Birgitta

Ingredients

• Spinach Filling:
• 2 cups of warm water
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp. fine salt
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• Min. 4 cups of all-purpose white flour
• (may need 5 cups of flour depending on the day)
• a mixture of 1/2 cup clarified butter and 1/2 cup olive oil
• 500 gr. Myzithra (ricotta cheese)
• 3 large eggs
• 500 gr. feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dil
• 2 bunches of scallions, sauteed in oil (softened)
• 3 bunches of spinach, washed, blanced, drained (or 3 boxes of from frozen spinach)
• salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from kalofagas.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Mix all of the above ingredients and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, reserve.

Making the Phyllo


In a large bowl, add 2 cups of warm water, your sugar and yeast. Allow the yeast to activate in the time of approx. 5 minutes (it should foam).
Add the salt and vegetable oil.
Using your hands, gradually add the flour while kneading. depending on the day, temperature, humidity, you'll need anywhere from 4 to 5 cups of flour. It should be firm, but still a little sticky

Spread a handful of flour on your surface. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. Add small amounts of flour as your kneading until the dough ball no longer sticks to your hands. The dough should still be soft, firm yet a little sticky.
Cut the dough into little meatball sizes (about 21 to 22 little pieces) and cover them with flour to prevent them from sticking.
Divide your dough balls into two groups: 12 dough balls are for your bottom portion of the pita and 10 (or 11) balls or for the top portion of the pita (middle being the filling).
Throw some flour on your work surface and roll out your dough balls into flat rounds the size of a large pancake. Brush each round with the butter/oil mix and create a two stacks (one for bottom, one for top).
Brush the baking tray with ONLY vegetable oil...butter or olive oil will burn.

This step is VERY IMPORTANT...Take a pancake of dough from the bottom stack, hold the top part of the round with both hands and use one hand to to move the dough (clockwise or counterclockwise) and use the other hand with your index and thumb pinching the dough upwards and outwards. This motion plus gravity is stretching out your elastic dough to a paper thin consistency. See it getting thin? Some holes may develop, it's okay, your other layers will cover for you.
Place your thin layer of what is now a phyllo sheet onto your baking tray and gently stretch it out to the rim of the tray.
Repeats steps 8 and 9 until all of the pancakes from your "bottom pile" have been been laid out on the surface. Transfer to the baking tray and stretch out your bottom phyllo layers to the entire rim circumference.

Drizzle the bottom layers of your pita with the butter/oil mixture and brush the entire surface. Poke some holes in the phyllo with a fork.

Add your spanakopita filling to the tray and spread it out so that's even.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 to complete the top part of your phyllo component.
Drizzle the top layers of your pita with the butter/oil mixture and brush the entire surface.
Using a fork, poke any air bubbles that make have formed in the "pita' and brush the top of your "pita" with the oil/butter mixture.

Pre-heat your oven to 375F, middle rack and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the top is golden-brown.
When your Spanakopita is done, place the tray on the stove or counter-top and cover with a large folded tablecloth for 30 minutes before cutting.