Thursday 2 November 2017

Spinach Phyllo Bundles

One of my favorite evenings to host is an appetizer party!  It's so much more casual than a big dinner, and if you're hosting other families with children, it seems to work well to get the kids to eat a variety of items too.  I find that kids like to snack in packs anyway, and are constantly looking for something in the kitchen while I'm prepping dinner, so I prefer to linger around, have a few drinks, and snack away while visiting.  It is also a great opportunity to prep a lot of stuff in advance, and really just be using the oven on and off for the evening too.   At this time of year, I usually prep a couple appetizers a week to have on hand in the freezer.   With the holiday season fast approaching, it's so awesome to just pull a few things out when people pop by for a visit.

This is one of my all time favorites.  They are basically my take on spanakopita.  Everyone loves them, they're easy to prep and freeze, and they bake up in about 20 minutes prior to serving.  They're great to pull out to have for a weeknight dinner, too! 





Spinach Phyllo Bundles

Filling:

2 pkg frozen chopped spinach (300g size), thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 pkg cream cheese, at room temperature (250g size)
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp toasted onion flakes (or 1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh)
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 eggs, slightly beaten
generous amount of freshly cracked pepper

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  I once used my hand mixer and don't know what the heck I was thinking.  Don't do it.  Use a wooden spoon unless you want to untangle spinach from your beaters (face palm).

To prepare:

1 pkg phyllo dough (454 g, 1 lb)
1/2 cup melted butter (not margarine!)

Be sure to thaw your phyllo dough in the refrigerator prior to using.  I just take it out the night before and it's good to go when I need it the next day.  As you're working with the dough, be sure to cover the unused portions with a damp kitchen towel as you work to prevent the sheets from drying out.

For each bundle:

Brush one sheet of phyllo lightly with butter using a pastry brush.  Gently place another sheet over top and repeat the butter brushing.  Place a third sheet on top of the second and gently smooth out.
3 layers of phyllo, brushed with butter between layers

Scoop approximately 1/5 of your prepared filling onto the stack of dough in a rectangular shape.

Use 1/5 of the filling on each bundle


Fold up each long side, and then roll across, burrito style, to enclose all of the filling.


Roll each bundle

Gently slit the tops several times to allow steam to escape while baking, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Repeat this process four more times, to create five rectangular bundles.

Ready to bake or freeze


At this point, either freeze for use at a later date, or bake in a preheated 425F oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  To cook from frozen, reduce oven temp to 375F and bake for approximately 30 minutes.   I chop each roll into about 6 to 8 pieces and serve.   Enjoy!

All done!




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