MINI SPANAKOPITA PIES
These Mini Spanakopita Pies are not only super delicious but also ideal for any time of the day. Enjoy them as a starter, as a snack or as a light meal along with some salad. Perfect for lunch boxes too and an easy yummy way to get kids to enjoy spinach.
Ingredients
- 6 sheets phyllo pastry
- 4 cups spinach, finely chopped 180g
- 1 cup feta, crumbled 125g
- 1 cup spring onion, chopped 65g
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped 25g
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped 20g
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1-2 cloves garlic, sliced or finely chopped 15g
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- ¼-½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper powder
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
Instructions
PREPARE THE FILLING
- Wash the spinach leaves and herbs. Pat them dry completed on a kitchen towel.
- Chop the spinach and herbs finely. Add them all to a mixing bowl.
- Peel and slice or finely chop the garlic.
- Light beat the eggs. Add it to the spinach mixture.
- Add the breadcrumbs, crumbled feta, salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
- Mix it well.
- Divide the mixture roughly into 12 parts.
- Keep on the side till required.
MELT THE BUTTER
- Melt the butter in the microwave oven or in a pan over low heat.
MEASURE AND CUT THE PHYLLO PASTRY
- Take 6 sheets out from the box. Keep them in a stack under a damp kitchen towel.
- Roll up the remaining sheets and put them back in the box. Seal it and keep it in the fridge or freezer.
- Take 3 sheets of phyllo pastry. Stack them up.
- With the length of the pastry towards you, measure 5 inches and make a cut.
- If the length of your pastry is shorter then measure 4 inches.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry. You will have 3 strips of the pastry.
- Cut each stack across. So now you will have 6 pieces of the stack.
- Repeat the same with the remaining 3 sheets.
- At this point preheat the oven to 180℃.
- Brush the muffin tins lightly with the melted butter.
- Now take one of that 5 inch stack, separate all 3 sheets. Brush one sheet lightly with butter, cover with another sheet. Brush that one too and cover with another sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter.
- Take the stack and press it gently down into one of the muffin cup.
- Take one part of the filling and fill the phyllo pastry with it.
- Cover the filling with the overlapping pastry, by bringing the edges all to the middle. Press down gently.
- Brush lightly with melted butter.
- Repeat with the remaining stacks and filling.
- Bake the spanakopita pies for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the pies is golden brown.
- Remove the muffin tray from the oven.
- Remove the pies carefully from the muffin tray.
- Allow them to cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Enjoy hot crispy spanakopita pies.
Notes
- Make sure the phyllo sheets are kept under a damp cloth as they tend to dry up really fast.
- If possible, don't use frozen spinach as it can make the mixture watery. If you have to then make sure you squeeze out the excess water.
- Use herbs of your choice.
- If you want to make an egg free filling, then you have to stir fry the spinach and herbs before filling the pie. Best to add salt to the filling when the mixture is completely cold.
- Baking time may vary from oven to oven.