Spinach Borek -- Spanakopita Recipe

How to make it

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• Note: This Turkish pastry is a production, but it's well worth the effort. See Time-Saver option below (step 21+) if short on time.
• Remove phyllo from refrigerator at least 2 hours ahead of time.
• Leave covered until filling is ready.
• Prepare filling: Wash spinach carefully and place leaves in large bowl.
• Sprinkle well with salt and rub salt into leaves, tearing leaves into small pieces until spinach is wilted and reduced to about a third of its original amount.
• Rinse salt off thoroughly and drain.
• Chop onion coarsely and saute in olive oil until transparent.
• Beat eggs.
• Crumble feta cheese into eggs.
• Add egg mixture and onions to spinach and mix well.
• Season generously with black pepper and lightly with oregano to taste.
• Set filling aside.
• Melt 3-4 tables of butter at a time in small pan.
• On washable countertop or large cutting board, spread out phyllo dough on top of waxed paper. (This will be messy so keep dampened paper towels at hand.)
• Slice phyllo into handsbreadth (approx. 4" wide) lengths. Cover all but one length with moistened towel or paper towels to keep dough moist.
• Add a large spoonful of filling, then fold 3 or 4 layers of phyllo dough over, end to edge, to create a triangle.
• Continue folding triangle from side to side until you reach the end of the strip. Some of the filling will leak out but that's part of the fun.
• Place the folded triangle into a 9"x13" pan and brush top with melted butter.
• Repeat until you run out of either phyllo dough or filling. This recipe usually makes two 9" x 13" pans full of börek.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
• Serves 8 for dinner or makes great appetizers for party.
• Time-saver option:
• After preparing filling, butter 9" x 13" pan.
• Spread out phylo dough on counter.
• Brush butter on top sheet then spread that sheet in pan.
• Repeat with each sheet until you have three or four sheets remaining. Rotate each sheet a bit so the corners fan out a bit rather than just being stacked square.
• Pour in filling, then fold in the excess phyllo dough from the sides of the pan.
• Butter the remaining sheets and tuck them over the top, folding the edges under to fit into the pan.
• Pierce the top layers with a sharp knife three or four times.
• Brush the top again with butter and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
• Cut into triangles or squares and serve hot.
• Chill any leftovers and eat them cold or reheat in microwave. My adoptive Turkish "anne" sent me to school with börek as a brown bag lunch in place of a sandwich.