This dish makes for an excellent appetizer for a cocktail party or it can be served as a side dish to a main course.

(10) 14 X 18 Inch Phyllo Pastry Sheets

1/2 Pound Of Melted Unsalted Butter

1/4 Cup Of Panko Breadcrumbs

(2) 10 Ounce Boxes Of Frozen Chopped Spinach, Defrosted

A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Italian Parsley

A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Basil

A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Scallions

A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Red Onion

A Minced Garlic Clove

A Beaten Egg

A Cup Of Crumbled Feta Cheese

1/4 Teaspoon Of Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

The Juice Of 1/2 Lemon

2-3 Tablespoons Of Olive Oil

Cook’s Tips For Working With Phyllo Dough

Do not unpack the pastry sheets from the sealed plastic bag until all of the other ingredients have been prepared and you are ready to work.

Allow the pastry sheets to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

Carefully unroll dough sheets on a flat dry surface.

While you are working, cover any unused sheets with a damp towel.

Brush each layer completely with melted butter.

Apply cool filling that isn’t extremely moist.

Spanokopita Recipe As Follows:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together the beaten egg and the lemon juice in a small bowl.

Into a saute pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil, the scallions, the red onion, the garlic, the sea salt, the black pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook on low heat for five minutes stirring frequently.

In the meantime, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a mixing bowl. Add the cooked vegetables, the basil, the parsley, the nutmeg, the feta cheese, and the beaten egg/lemon juice mixture. Mix together.

Unfold one sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet. Brush it with melted butter. Continue until all ten sheets have been used sprinkling breadcrumbs on every other layer. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly into a sausage shape along the top edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up tightly over the spinach mixture. Brush the top with butter. Cut slits on the top of the rolled pastry at 45 degree angles about one inch apart.

Rub a baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. Place the filled phyllo dough on the baking sheet and bake it in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

Cut the spanokopita (where the slits were inserted) when it has cooled. You can serve the spanokopita at room temperature or you can warm it slightly in the oven just before serving.