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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Finely slice the leeks and green onions and add to a large bowl.
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3
Mince the onion and add to the bowl along with the olive oil.
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4
Finely shred the spinach with a sharp knife and add to the bowl.
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5
Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, and then beat them until fluffy.
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6
Add the cottage cheese, feta, cream of wheat, dill and eggs to the bowl with the veggies.
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7
Mix well with clean hands, making sure to separate the rings of leek and green onion and mix the cottage cheese and feta in.
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8
Add black pepper (the feta should be salty enough).
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9
Now, work on your dough.
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10
Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat and then add 1/2 cup olive oil to the melted butter.
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11
Lay out your filo dough.
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12
Butter a 1/2 sheet pan with the butter mixture.
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13
Tulas technique was to do a generous figure 8 drizzle and then brush it across the pan.
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14
Peel a sheet of the filo dough off and lay it down on the pan the long way.
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15
Follow with another good drizzle and brush of butter.
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16
With the next layer use two sheets of filo and cover half the pan with each sheet (running these the short way), overlapping the first two sheets in the middle.
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17
Another layer of butter.
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18
Next time, lay the two layers of filo the long way and then brush with butter.
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19
So that is the pattern the next layer is two sheets of filo layed out the short way again, and so on.
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20
Dont forget the butter in between.
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21
There should be about 5 layers.
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22
Add the filling to the top of the dough.
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23
For the top, you will only lay the sheets the long way, with butter brushed in between each layer.
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24
You want about three more layers on top, and then fold the extra filo edges over the top and brush them down with butter.
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25
One final sheet is on top, with a heavy brushing of butter.
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26
(there will probably be a few sheets of filo left over)
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27
Lightly slice the top layer of the pastry into squares, and then into triangles basically you are scoring the top to vent steam.
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28
Bake the spanikopita at 350 degrees F for about an hour, until the filo is golden brown.
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29
Slice through again and serve hot, (but it also delicious cold!)
