Greek Spanakopita Triangles

Ingredients

• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried dill)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking the onion
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 package (16 sheets) frozen phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Thaw the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight, then let the sealed package sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using; phyllo that is still cold or frozen will crack and tear instead of unrolling smoothly.
2. Squeeze the thawed spinach very firmly in a clean kitchen towel over the sink until no more liquid comes out; a dry filling is essential or the triangles will turn soggy and the phyllo will not crisp.
3. Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers slightly, then add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed spinach, cooled onion and garlic, crumbled feta, softened cream cheese, beaten eggs, dill, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well with a spoon until evenly combined; the mixture will be thick and slightly chunky.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Unroll the phyllo sheets on a clean, dry work surface and immediately cover the whole stack with a slightly damp (not wet) kitchen towel; phyllo dries out and becomes brittle within minutes of air exposure, so only uncover one sheet at a time as you work.
7. Lay one sheet of phyllo flat on the counter with a short end facing you, and brush it lightly and evenly with melted butter using a pastry brush. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 3 long strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
8. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the spinach-feta filling near the bottom corner of one strip. Fold the corner up and over the filling to form a triangle, then continue folding flag-style, alternating left and right, all the way up the strip until you reach the end and have a neat triangular packet. Tuck any loose edge underneath.
9. Place the finished triangle seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet and brush the top lightly with more melted butter. Repeat with the remaining strips and phyllo sheets, re-covering the unused phyllo stack with the damp towel between each sheet, until all the filling is used, spacing triangles about 1 inch apart on the sheets.
10. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the triangles are deep golden brown and visibly flaky and crisp on all sides. If some brown faster than others, move those to a lower oven rack.
11. Remove from the oven and let the triangles cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; the filling inside is very hot right after baking, so warn anyone eating immediately.
12. Serve warm or at room temperature. To reheat leftovers, place in a 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes to re-crisp; microwaving will make the phyllo soft and chewy instead of crisp.

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