Spanakopita Nistisimi (Lenten Spinach Pie)

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~ Ingredients: ~ 2 kilos of fresh spinach ~ 1/2 a cup of dill finely chopped ~ 1/2 a cup of parsley finely chopped ~ 1 cup of fresh onions finely chopped ~ 3-4 large onion finely chopped ~ 1 cup olive oil ~ 1 pack of filo pastry ~ salt and pepper to taste

 

~ Clean the spinach and discard all the hard outer parts, leaving the leaves and the soft stems. ~ Wash it well under plenty of running cold water and a little bit at a time cut it in small pieces. ~ Using your hands, squeeze the cut spinach to get as mush water out of them. ~ Pour half of the olive oil in a large frying pan sauté the chopped onion. ~ When that is nice and translucent, add the chopped fresh onions to be sautéed a little bit as well. ~ Add the spinach a little at a time, stirring and mixing with the sautéed onions. ~ Add the dill, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and mix with the rest of the ingredients. ~ Cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer until there is no more water the spinach will release. ~ In a medium oiled baking pan place 8 filo sheets buttering each one. ~ Place in the spinach mixture making sure is distributed evenly everywhere. ~ Fold inwards over the spinach whatever filo is overhanging oiling each one. ~ Place the rest of the filo sheets over the top oiling each one. ~ Cut the excess filo and oil the top fillo. ~ With a sharp pointy knife cut the top filos to what ever shape you want (square, triangle, etc). ~ Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. ~ Remove from the oven, let it cool down for about 30 minutes and serve. ~ Greek Spanakopita Nistisimi (Lenten Spinach Pie) is well known to people who love the Greek Cuisine. ~ It can be eaten at any time and with any meal. ~ Greek Spanakopita Nistisimi (Lenten Spinach Pie) can also be done without sautéing the spinach. ~ The only deference is that is going to take about an hour to cook on lower temperature. ~ Home made filo pastry can also be used, making two sheets, one to use for the bottom of the baking dish and one for the top, having the filling in between. ~ For the ingredients and how to make it see Spitiko Filo (Homemade Filo Pastry). ~ Good luck and bon appétit.