Spanakopita
Resep (Afrikaans)
Spanakopita
Dié filopakkies met spinasie-en-fetavulsel is ’n baie gewilde Griekse gereg. Dit kan as voorgereg of peuselhappies en beslis as deel van ’n feestafel voorgesit word. Moenie bekommerd wees as jy nog nooit voorheen met filo gewerk het nie, dis regtig nie moeilik nie. Ek gee al my wenke in die resep en die metode is so volledig as moontlik om jou te help. Probeer gerus die resep, want filo is eintlik baie meer ‘vergewend’ as wat jy dink. Dit bak mooi goudbruin en bros sonder baie moeite en jy gaan beslis jou gaste (en jouself) beïndruk.
Maak ongeveer 20 spanakopitas
Bestanddele
Vulsel
15 ml (1 e) olyfolie
2 uie, in kwarte en dan in dun skyfies gesny
8-10 medium (400 g) spinasieblare met die stingels, in repies gesny
2 skywe (140 g) feta, gekrummel
fyngerasperde skil van 1 suurlemoen
2,5 ml (½ t) gemaalde of fyngerasperde neutmuskaat of meer na smaak
suurlemoensap en swartpeper na smaak
Filo
8-10 velle filodeeg, vars of gevries en ontdooi
100 ml (100 g) botter, gesmelt
80 ml (⅓ k) olyfolie
Metode
- Vulsel: Verhit die olie oor matige hitte in ’n pan en soteer uie tot heeltemal sag.
- Plaas intussen die spinasie in ’n groot bak en skink kookwater oor. Roer deur en dreineer dadelik. Spoel met yskoue water af en dreineer deeglik. Druk enige oortollige vloeistof met jou hande uit die spinasie.
- Roer die spinasie by die uie en soteer vir ’n paar minute, sodat enige orige vloeistof verdamp, maar moenie die spinasie oorgaar maak nie – dit moet steeds heldergroen wees.
- Roer die feta en suurlemoenskil by die warm mengsel en geur na smaak met neutmuskaat, suurlemoensap en peper. Onthou, feta is baie sout, so moenie te veel sout byvoeg nie.
- Voorverhit die oond tot 200 °C. Voer twee bakplate met botterpapier uit.
- Filo: Rol die filovelle oop en bedek met ’n droë afdroogdoek. Bedek die droë doek met ’n tweede afdroogdoek wat baie liggies klam gemaak is. Hou die filo te alle tye bedek, want dit droog baie vinnig uit. Meng die botter en olie saam.
- Haal een vel filo uit en plaas op die werksoppervlak. Verf liggies met ’n dun lagie van die bottermengsel. Plaas ’n tweede vel filo bo-op en verf ook liggies met botter.
- Sny met ’n skerp mes of pizza-snyer in die lengte, in 5 ewe breë stroke. Skep 20-25 ml van die vulsel op die randjie van die kort kant, van elke strook, naaste aan jou.
- Vou die linker hoek na bo, na die regterkant van die strook, oor die vulsel, om ’n klein driehoekie te vorm. Vou die onderste, regterkantse hoekie na bo en dan weer oor na die linkerkant, op dieselfde manier – dus na bo en oor na die ander kant. Herhaal op dieselfde manier tot die strook ‘opgebruik’ is.
- Verf die boonste randjie met ’n bietjie botter en druk vas. Pak die filo-driehoekies, met die vou na onder, op die bakplate. Verf die bokante liggies met nog van die botter mengsel.
- Herhaal met die res van die filostroke en vulsel (sien wenk). Bak spanakopitas vir 12-15 minute of tot goudbruin en gaar. Sit warm of teen kamertemperatuur voor.
Wenk
- Die driehoekies kan vooraf gevul, gevou en met die botter bo-op geverf word. Bedek en hou dit in die yskas vir ‘n uur of twee voor dit gebak word.
Recipe (English)
Spanakopita
Phyllo parcels with a filling of spinach and feta are a very popular Greek dish. It can be served as a starter or snack and is delicious as part of a festive table. Don’t worry if you have never worked with phyllo before. It’s really not difficult and I am sharing all my tips and a detailed method to make it easier. Do try this recipe, as phyllo is also more ‘forgiving’ than you may think. Once it’s baked to golden crispiness, you will impress your guests (and yourself).
Makes about 20 spanakopitas
Ingredients
Filling
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
8-10 medium (about 400 g) spinach leaves, with stems, cut into strips
2 slices (about 140 g) feta, crumbled
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2,5 ml (½ tsp) ground or finely grated nutmeg, or more to taste
lemon juice and black pepper to taste
Phyllo
8-10 sheets of phyllo pastry, fresh or frozen and thawed
100 ml (100 g) butter, melted
80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
Method
- Filling: Preheat a large frying pan over a medium temperature. Add the oil and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
- Meanwhile, place the spinach in a mixing bowl and just cover with boiling water. Stir through and drain immediately. Rinse in ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain the spinach well and squeeze out any excess water.
- Add the cooked spinach to the onion mixture and sauté for a few minutes, to make sure that any excess water evaporates. Do not overcook the spinach – it should still be bright green in colour.
- Remove from the heat, mix feta into the warm mixture and season with lemon rind, pepper and nutmeg. Remember that feta is already salty, so don’t be tempted to add extra salt.
- Preheat oven to 200 °C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Phyllo: Unroll sheets of phyllo and cover with a dry tea towel, and then cover the dry cloth with a lightly dampened one to prevent the phyllo from drying out. Keep covered at all times as phyllo dries out quite quickly. Mix the butter and oil together.
- Take out one sheet and place it on a clean work surface. Brush lightly with a thin layer of the butter mixture. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top and brush lightly with butter mixture again.
- Cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter lengthwise, into 5 equally broad strips. Place 20-25ml of the spinach filling onto the edge of the short side of each strip, closest to you.
- Fold the left corner upwards, towards the right side of the strip, over the filling, forming a small triangle. Fold the lower, right-hand corner up and then again over to the left, in the same manner – repeat the process, up and diagonally over to the other side. Continue in the same way to the end of each phyllo strip.
- Paint the top edge of each phyllo strip with a little butter and press down lightly to seal. Pack the phyllo triangles, fold side down, on to the baking sheets. Paint the tops of each parcel lightly with butter mixture.
- Repeat with the rest of the phyllo strips and filling (see tip). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip
- The triangles can be prepared in advance. Fill and fold and brush with butter, then cover and refrigerated for an hour or two, before baking as described.