Spanakopita

Ingredients

2 (16-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, including some of the green part
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) crumbled feta
8 ounces (1 cup) whole milk ricotta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 pound phyllo (filo) dough (about 18 sheets), defrosted in the refrigerator

Directions

Center a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375oF.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the spinach in a towel or with your hands. Just make sure you get as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the scallions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Cool briefly.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the scallions, feta, ricotta, dill, parsley, salt, and squeezed spinach. Stir to combine.

Brush the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking dish with melted butter.

Unwrap the phyllo and set the stack of sheets next to the pan. Working quickly, brush the top sheet of the phyllo stack with butter and set it in the pan. Repeat buttering and layering the phyllo with 8 more sheets. Don’t worry if the sheets hang over the edges of the pan. You will trim them later.

Spread the filling evenly over the phyllo.

Butter a phyllo sheet and place it on top of the filling. Repeat with 8 more sheets, as before.

With a sharp knife, trim the excess phyllo so the edges of the dough are flush with the inside edges of the pan.

Position the baking dish with the long edge parallel to the counter. Without cutting too deeply into the filling, make 4 vertical cuts and 3 horizontal cuts through the top phyllo sheets to form 12 squares.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown.