Greek Night! Spanakopita & Greek Salad

I loooove Greek food...cannot get enough.  I love it so much I have not one, but TWO favorite restaurants...one local, right here in Highland Park, NJ, Pithari Taverna the other in Marlton, NJ, Kuzina by Sofia.  The reason for the two restaurants in two different areas of NJ you wonder??  Well as luck would have it, my bestest friend also looooves greek food just as much as I do..so we have a favorite by my house and a favorite by her house...that way we can eat it no matter who is visiting who.  convenient, eh??  We order the same dishes at both restaurants, a greek salad, hummus, spanakopita, fried eggplant and zucchini w/ tzatziki, we sit with our bottle of red wine and talk and eat and talk and eat and talk and eat...sometimes for hours.  

So, when I can't make it to one of the two lovely greek establishments I attempt to re-create at home...not nearly as wonderful as their dishes, but better than nothing.  So, the night of our Greek Feast we had spanakopita, tiropita, greek salad, warm pita and hummus...all except the pita and tiropita were made by me, liv (the best sous chef ever!) and my mom.  The pita and tiropita were purchased at our local middle eastern grocer.  Hopefully this will hold me over until my next visit to Pithari Terverna...must go soon!

Spanakopita 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds spinach, washed and drained
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound filo pastry sheets

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil.

Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).
 

Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.

Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

Source: The Food Network


Greek Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes, cubed
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, cubed
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
•  1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
Mix the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, avocado in a large bowl with the dill, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice.  (can it get any easier than that??)

The recipe this was based off of included fried cheese, as well as an avacado...I left both out, but may add next time I make this salad.

Source: Chuck Hughs- Greek Salad

 



Hummus

It's so hard for me to write out a recipe for hummus...bc really when we make it, which we always do...it's so cheap and easy to make!  we use the same ingredients but never measure, just add, blend, taste and adjust.  

1 can Chickpeas (reserve some bean liquid to use to thin the hummus if needed while blending)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tahini
fresh garlic chopped
lemon juice
salt

Blend chickpeas, add other ingredients until the hummus reaches your desired taste and consistency.

Enjoy!
xo
Andrea