Here's a couple recipes I have. The first recipe, the Boreks, basically is the same as Spanikopita. I have idea why it's called a Borek. I got that recipe out of my culinary textbook in college. I've made it once, and it's great.
Spinach Boreks
Yields: 50 pieces
2 # spinach
3 sticks butter, in all
4 oz onion, diced
1 oz scallions, diced
1 oz fresh dilled, chopped
1 # feta, crumbled
salt and pepper
25 sheets phyllo dough
Clean and blanch spinach. Drain, cool, and squeeze dry. Chop the spinach fine. Heat 1 stick of butter in a sauté pan. Sauté onion and scallions until soft. Remove from heat, adding in the spinach and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining butter. Thaw phyllo if frozen. Cut phyllo in half lengthwise. Keep covered with a damp towel to keep from drying. One sheet at a time, brush phyllo with butter. Fold in half and brush with butter again. Place a small amount of spinach mixture at one end of phyllo. Fold up like a flag or paper football. Arrange on baking sheets with loose ends on bottom. Brush with butter. Bake @ 375°F until golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes. Serve warm.
I got the Spanakopita recipe from somewhere else, and I can't remember where. It actually makes a small pie or tart. As much as I love Spanakopita, I'd rather have the big ones.
Remember My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where the two families got together for the first time? The one crazy aunt was talking about something weird, and had a spanakopita in her hand that was about 6" across. That's a good-sized one. The ones I made were only about an inch across, as are the frozen ones I get at work.
Spanakopitas
Greek Cheese and Spinach Pies
Serves: 4
2 T olive oil
6 green onions, chopped, optional
9 oz fresh young spinach, stemmed and rinsed
¼ c cooked rice, optional
¼ c chopped fresh dill, optional
¼ c chopped fresh parsley, optional
¼ c pine nuts, optional
2 T raisins, optional
2 oz feta cheese, drained and crumbled
1 - 2 t nutmeg
Pinch cayenne, optional
40 sheets phyllo (filo) dough
About 1 c + 2 T melted butter
Black pepper to taste
Heat the oil, then add the green onions, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, and cook, stirring, until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, and cool. When the spinach is cool, squeeze dry (this is best done in cheesecloth). Stir in the rice, herbs, pine nuts, raisins (if desired), and the feta. Add the nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Cut the phyllo into 40 6” square pieces. Cover the phyllo with a damp towel to keep the phyllo moist, as it will dry out and crack if left uncovered. Remove 8 slices, and, using a 4” cookie cutter, cut the slices into 4” rounds. Cover the phyllo rounds with the towel. Brush a 4” tart pan with removable bottom with butter. Place one of the phyllo rounds into the tart pan and brush with butter. Repeat this step five more times, for a total of six pieces of phyllo in the tart pan. Do not push the dough to fill in the ridges/riffles of the tart pan. Spoon ¼ of the filling into the shell and spread to smooth it. Top the tart with the remaining two sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Fold excess phyllo over to seal the pie and brush with butter. Repeat this assembly process 3 more times to make 4 pies.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 350°F for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm.