Baked Spinach and Feta Triangles

Name: Baked Spinach and Feta Triangles
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 1 h 28 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 20 oz (two 10-oz packages) (567 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, then squeezed very dry in a towel (about 1½ cups / 280 g after squeezing); 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 4 medium (60 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced; 8 oz (225 g) feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces; ½ cup (125 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained of any liquid; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh dill, finely chopped, loosely packed; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, loosely packed; 1 tsp zest (2 g) lemon, finely grated zest (from about ½ lemon); ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg; ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 1 lb (about 20 sheets) (454 g) phyllo dough, about 9×14-inch (23×35 cm) sheets, thawed in the refrigerator, kept covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel; 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, buttery phyllo triangles filled with a tangy, herby spinach and feta mixture. They're the classic spanakopita flavors in a party-ready, hand-held shape, and they can be frozen unbaked.

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 28 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 48 min
Makes: 30 triangles (serves about 10 as an appetizer)

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the filling
20 oz (two 10-oz packages) (567 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, then squeezed very dry in a towel (about 1½ cups / 280 g after squeezing)
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium (60 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced
8 oz (225 g) feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces
½ cup (125 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained of any liquid
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup (15 g) fresh dill, finely chopped, loosely packed
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, loosely packed
1 tsp zest (2 g) lemon, finely grated zest (from about ½ lemon)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
For assembly
1 lb (about 20 sheets) (454 g) phyllo dough, about 9×14-inch (23×35 cm) sheets, thawed in the refrigerator, kept covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel
12 tbsp (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment (9)

2 large rimmed baking sheets, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large skillet, 10-12 inches (25-30 cm)
Large mixing bowl
Clean lint-free kitchen towel for squeezing spinach
Sharp knife or pizza cutter and a ruler
Pastry brush
Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for melting butter
Cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Thaw the phyllo in its box in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Thawing on the counter or in the microwave makes the sheets gummy and sticky.
Thaw the frozen spinach in the fridge overnight, or microwave it briefly until just defrosted and let it cool.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds just before you bake (during step 7), not at the start.
Clear a work surface about 2 feet wide and set up a damp (not wet) kitchen towel. Phyllo dries out and cracks within minutes of being exposed to air.
Count on about 60 minutes of hands-on work, mostly folding. Recruit a helper if you can.

1
Squeeze the spinach dry
- Place the thawed spinach in the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and twist over the sink, squeezing hard until almost no liquid drips out.
- You should have about 1½ cups (280 g) of compact spinach.
- Fluff it apart with your fingers in a large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: A handful of the spinach feels crumbly-dry, and squeezing it releases no more than a drop or two of water.
Tip: Wet spinach is the main cause of soggy phyllo triangles, so keep squeezing longer than seems necessary.
2
Soften the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the scallions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Scrape everything into the bowl with the spinach.
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Ready when: Scallions are bright green and softened, and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Pull the pan off the heat the moment the garlic smells fragrant; browned garlic turns bitter.
3
Mix and cool the filling
- Add the feta, ricotta, egg, dill, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, and pepper to the bowl.
- Stir until evenly combined and the mixture holds together when pressed.
- Taste a little; it should taste lemony, herby, and salty from the feta, so add salt only if needed.
- Let the filling sit for 10 minutes so the warm spinach cools and the flavors blend.
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Ready when: A spoonful of the filling holds its shape and isn't wet or pooling liquid.
Tip: Don't taste the raw egg mixture by the spoonful; the filling bakes to 160°F (71°C) in the oven.
4
Cut the phyllo strips
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Unroll the phyllo on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel.
- Remove 10 sheets, stack them neatly, and cut the stack lengthwise into 3 strips, each about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and 14 inches (35 cm) long.
- Re-cover the strips at once.
- Repeat with the other 10 sheets.
- You should have about 60 strips.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
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Ready when: Strips are even, flexible, and covered; you have about 60 in total.
Tip: Work with only 2 strips out at a time. If a strip tears, simply patch it with an extra layer.
5
Layer and fill each strip
- Lay one strip on the counter with a short end facing you.
- Brush it lightly with melted butter, top with a second strip, and brush again.
- Place a heaping tablespoon (about 20-25 g) of filling on the bottom end, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge, centered on the strip.
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Ready when: The strip is evenly glossy with butter, with a compact mound of filling at the bottom.
Tip: Use a light coat of butter. Too much makes the layers greasy rather than crisp.
6
Fold into triangles
- Fold the bottom-left corner of the strip diagonally over the filling so the short edge meets the right edge, forming a triangle.
- Fold the triangle straight up, then fold diagonally to the other side, like folding a flag.
- Continue until you reach the end of the strip.
- Tuck any leftover tail under the triangle and brush the seam with butter.
- Place seam-side down on the lined sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining strips and filling, spacing triangles about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart (15 per sheet).
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Ready when: Each triangle is snug with no filling peeking out of the folds.
Tip: Fold snugly but don't pull tightly; the filling needs a little room to expand as it bakes.
7
Brush tops and preheatOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Brush the top of each triangle generously with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
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Ready when: Every triangle looks evenly glossy with butter on top.
Tip: If the butter has hardened, rewarm it for 10 seconds so it brushes smoothly.
8
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake both sheets at 375°F (190°C) for 22-26 minutes, swapping the pans between racks and rotating them front to back halfway through (at about 12 minutes).
- Bake until the triangles are deep golden brown on top and bottom.
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Ready when: Triangles are deep golden brown, puffed, and crackle when lightly tapped; the filling reaches 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Pale triangles will be soft rather than flaky, so give them the extra couple of minutes if needed.
9
Cool and serve
- Let the triangles cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes so the filling sets and no one burns their mouth.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Triangles are firm enough to pick up without bending.
Tip: The filling stays very hot inside, so warn guests.

Good to know

Tips

Keep unused phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel at all times; the dough dries and cracks in just a few minutes.
Squeeze the spinach until it's truly dry, and drain the ricotta if it looks watery, to avoid soggy bottoms.
Don't overfill. A heaping tablespoon per triangle prevents bursting and keeps the layers crisp.
Tears in phyllo are fine. Extra layers and butter hide them, and the folded shape covers imperfections.

Make ahead

"Assemble the triangles (through step 6, without the final butter on top) up to 1 day ahead. Cover the sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Or freeze them unbaked: freeze on the sheet until solid, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Brush with butter and bake straight from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 28-32 minutes."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: store cooled baked triangles in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: baked triangles keep up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge or freezer on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes (12-15 minutes from frozen) until hot and crisp. Do not microwave, which makes them soggy."

Substitutions

frozen chopped spinach → about 1½ lb (680 g) fresh spinach. Wilt it in a large pot or skillet, cool, then squeeze very dry. It should yield about the same 1½ cups.
whole-milk ricotta → cottage cheese or cream cheese. Drain cottage cheese well and mash it, or use 4 oz (115 g) softened cream cheese for a richer filling.
unsalted butter → olive oil. Use about ⅔ cup (160 ml) olive oil for a more traditional Greek flavor; the pastry will be slightly less rich.
fresh dill → fresh mint. Use 2 tablespoons chopped mint in place of half the dill for a fresher, more herbal taste.