Spinach Pie-Middle Eastern style

I often stress out wondering if I had to choose to only have one dish of my grandma’s for the rest of my life, would I choose the Macaroni Béchamel, or her famous Spinach Pie? Most people have either heard of, or tasted, the classic greek version of this dish known as Spanakopita.

My grandmother’s version of this has quite a different flavor. Instead of biting in to the sharpness of feta,

Preparation of the Spinach Filling

You have to start with the Bechamel sauce, which you add to the spinach, along with the other ingredients.

Ingredients for the Bechamel Sauce:

 1 cup Low-fat 2% Milk

1 heaping tablespoon of Flour

1/4 stick Fleischmann’s Original Margarine

Table Salt

Bechamel sauce intructions:

 In a small Teflon pot, combine the milk, flour, margarine and salt.

Cook on Medium-Low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly 

till it thickens. 

Ingredients for the spinach filling: 

2 packs Bird’s Eye frozen Chopped Spinach

4-oz pack low-fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese

2 large Eggs

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

6 tablespoons Parmesan & Romano Grated Cheese

1 tablespoon Cottage Cheese

Table Salt

Instructions:

Defrost the spinach overnight in a colander.  

Drain all excess water by squeezing tightly with your hands, 

and put in a large bowl. 

Pour the béchamel sauce on top of the spinach, and 

add cream cheese, 2 beaten eggs, baking powder, grated 

cheese and cottage cheese. 

Mix well and taste for salt.

Ingredients for the Spinach Fila:

 1 pack Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Dough

1 Egg

White Sesame Seeds

Preparation:

Spray the bottom only (not the sides) of a rectangular Pyrex pan, with Pam.

Cut the pastry dough in two.

Take one half, pull it lightly with your fingers, and spread it to the shape of the Pyrex pan. Add the spinach mixture. Take the second half of the dough, pull it lightly with your fingers, and put on top of the spinach, making sure to cover the sides. Cut in 3 sections in length and 5 sections in width, to make 15 pieces. Beat an egg and brush most of it on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake the frozen Fila 

for 45–60 minutes.   

Notes: From freezer to oven ; The dough takes 1 hour to defrost.