Recipe: Spanokopita

Spanokopita

2 pounds fresh spinach or 2 12-ounce packages frozen spinach
1 pound filo dough (or strudel dough, available at most specialty stores)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1 pound feta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup parsley
1 t oregano
1/4 pound butter, melted

If spinach is fresh, prepare it by washing and removing stems. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle heavily with salt. Rub the salt into the leaves by taking up bunches and rubbing between your hands while tearing them into pieces. The volume of the spinach will decrease considerably. Rinse well and squeeze dry in a towel. If you use frozen spinach just allow it to thaw. Heat the tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a frying pan or wok and saut the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. When the onion looks tender, add thyme and rosemary and continue to saute over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and crumble in the feta. Stir in the parmesan, parsley, oregano, and the onions and mushrooms. Add the spinach and combine thoroughly. Grind in pepper to taste. Melt 1/4 pound butter and brush some on a 3- or 4-quart oblong pan. Take a filo sheet and lay it in the pan with the edges coming out over the sides. Lay another sheet on top of this with edges extending over different parts of the pan. Brush with butter. Continue laying filo, brushing every other one with butter and turning each one slightly so that the edges fan out over the sides of the pan, until you have 6 to 8 sheets left. Now spread the spinach mixture evenly over the filo dough in the pan, and fold the filo edges over the spinach mixture. Layer remaining filo sheets over the spinach mixture, again brushing every other sheet with butter. This time, push the edges down into the sides of the pan; don't worry about doing this neatly. Brush the top with butter and make four diagonal 1/2-inch deep slashes with a sharp knife. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 50 minutes, until the crust is puffed up and golden. Serve immediately.