Spanakopita - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED BUCHANAN 

What you are showing is puff paste not phylo. Let me see you roll out phylo. Puff dough is easy. Roll out dot/ rest roll out dot rest 3 times let rest then roll and use. Phylo doesn't work like that. You really have to run it through a machine. Also to get more circles out of it start cutting them at siide not center of dough.and work around.

So  oh font of all wisdom is your eye sight failing ?

I try to help people as do a lot of other people on here. We are quite used to dealing with wise asses, So therefore our conversation is ended. Have a good life        ejb

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefedb 

I try to help people as do a lot of other people on here. We are quite used to dealing with wise asses, So therefore our conversation is ended. Have a good life        ejb

"Try" being the operative  word, Who are the "we" you are talking about? maybe the royal we?

Why don't you give it a rest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheflayne 

Why don't you give it a rest?

I do, to allow the protein to develop, I then slap the dough around to help the protein to convert to gluten. I use Canadian Red Spring Flour because it has a 15% protein content so after slapping it makes the phyllo dough stretch beautifully.

Spanokopita is so easy to make at home and it's a great App for the holidays.

I use 1/2 package of frozen phyllo dough. If I can find "Fillo Factory" brand I use that. I do try to pay close attention to the boxes and dig to the bottom of the stack. Read the expiry dates if you can as supermarkets tend to hold phyllo a long time and if it's thawed and frozen and thawed etc it can be a real pain to work with.

I use good quality EVOO to brush the layers of phyllo.

Steam 2 10-16 ounce packages of spinach that has been cleaned and stemmed. If you are a Costco shopper some times they have the large tubs of organic baby spinach. Wring the spinach out well. Like Hulk Hogan. Get every last drop of moisture out. When you think you have it all out..... wring it out some more or press the spinach between paper towels. Repeat this as many times as it takes to get all of the moisture out.

Coarse chop the spinach.

7 ounces of crumbled French Feta. French feta can be a lot more $$ but it's rich and creamy unlike the brickish stuff in a tub that tastes like salted cardboard. If you can find small tins of this all the better.

S&P

2 minced cloves of fresh garlic.

1.5 Tablespoons of Fresh lemon juice and the zest from 1 lemon.

Mix all the ingredients.

Whip 2 large egg whites to a soft meringue and gently fold it into the spinach.

I layer 3-4 sheets of phyllo and cut into six sections. I use about a Tablespoon of filling in each section and roll triangles. I put these on a sheet pan covered with parchment and then finish with just a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top.

This makes 15-16 pieces.

I cook at 375 until the phyllo is nice and gold and the eggs whites rise.

The great thing about Spanokopita is you can make them now, freeze and cook from a frozen state when you have company.

Dave

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED BUCHANAN 

What you are showing is puff paste not phylo. Let me see you roll out phylo. Puff dough is easy. Roll out dot/ rest roll out dot rest 3 times let rest then roll and use. Phylo doesn't work like that. You really have to run it through a machine. Also to get more circles out of it start cutting them at siide not center of dough.and work around.

1, Well, I've stretched dough a few times already (you may call it phyllo dough, croustade dough, strudel dough, burek dough or whatever, essentially it's the same thing), made strudels, baklava, tiropitas, Languedocienne cabessals and other stuff, so I know what it looks like and the picture certainly does show phyllo dough.

2, I don't understand the second sentence - are you saying phyllo is not rolled? Well, there are different methods to get it thin, but it typically begins with rolling and sometimes that's all that is done. I've seen a Turkish cook roll out many layers of phyllo dough for baklava so thin that paper-thin would be a gross understatement - at once! I guess he used cornstarch or something to prevent sticking.

3, Yes, puff pastry is completely different and much less skill-demanding.

4, You most certainly can stretch dough without machines and this is how it's done in homes throughout Balkans, Middle East, Central Europe and Southern France. The amount of tears depends on baker's skill.