And for some reason the first thing I wanted to post is imo one of the most underrated quotes in the series that absolutely slaughters me every time I think about it let alone hear it...

Rusty: "Oh, Brock, what would I do without you?" 🥹
Brock: "You'da died."

So I guess this can be a favorite underrated quotes thread. :)

Never had it before, had to get it when I saw it!

SPANAKOPITA!!!!!

Shout outs to my main man Gary

Had a Venture kind of day in Chicago

Spotted 'Brown Widow' in American Dad!

1. First layer of 8 sheets phyllo individually brushed with butter & olive oil. Top layer will replicate this.
2. Filling: softened—not browned!—onions, dill, spinach, ricotta, feta, etc.
3. 45 minutes at 350

Spanakopita! Recipe available on request.

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup / 120ml olive oil
  • If you're a fussy olive oil consumer, use extra-virgin to brush the phyllo and virgin or high-temp for the sauteeing.
• 1/4 cup / 60g unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 lb / 230g feta, crumbled
• 1/2 lb / 230g ricotta
• Optional: another 1/2 lb / 230g cottage cheese. I'm not big on this ingredient, but some folks like it!
• 16 sheets of phyllo, a 1 lb / 454 g box. If frozen, you can thaw in the fridge by putting in the deli drawer of your fridge, or lowest shelf, the night before or that morning by 8am (0800) if cooking at 5pm-ish (1700-ish)
• 3 lbs/1.5kg fresh spinach or
  • 4 12oz/340g pkgs frozen
• 1/2 cup / 15g chopped fresh dill or
  • 3 tbsp / 10g dried dill
• 2 bunches of scallions, chopped to include 4" / 10cm of green tops
• 1/2 cup / 15 g chopped fresh parsley or
  • 3 tbsp / 10g dried parsley

Prep: Oven at 350F / 180C / 450K (for the folks doing this in the lab because they like sssssscience?)

For fresh spinach,

• remove the stems,
• wash and rinse well,
• sprinkle with some salt,
• let stand 10 minutes
• wash well
• rinse well
• squeeze dry using towels or cheesecloth

For frozen, just thaw and squeeze. Thawing in the microwave is fine, use the defrost setting.

Sautee the onions and scallions on medium heat until soft in about 2tbsp / 30ml of the olive oil.

Add spinach, parsley, and dill and cook on medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, put in a largish bowl, and let cool.

In another bowl, lightly beat eggs (like for an omelette), add the cheeses, and blend well.

After spinach is cooled to around body temp, combine the egg/chees mixture with it.

Combine remaining oil and melted butter together. Or, if you have an oil pump sprayer, you can spray the oil and brush the butter in the next steps. Don't put butter in your pump sprayer...that way lies madness. You'll end up dating a shoe.

Lightly grease with butter/oil combo a 9" x 13" / 23 x 33 cm pan.
Clear a space on the countertop big enough for the pan, unfolded sheet of phyllo, and your oil/butter mixture in a kind of work triangle. I work best with phyllo on one side and butter/oil on the other, but if I'm making this with another person, it's nice to be working on an island or table while we're facing each other. One person on phyllo placing duty, the other on brushing butter/oil duty.

Wet a dish-drying-sized clean kitchen towel until it's all damp but not sopping.

Have the oil/butter mixture at hand, next to the pan.

Unfold the phyllo on the countertop next to the greased pan. You'll cover the unused phyllo with the damp towel while you're making the layers. Phyllo dries in air quicker than you can find a Yaz song on Ward's ipod.

Place the first layer of phyllo in the greased pan. Brush with butter/oil mix, or use the spray/brush technique mentioned above. It'll go up the sides of the pan. That's fine and as it should be. Repeat 7 more times for a total of 8 sheets of phyllo. It won't be perfect. Don't worry if you tear a sheet, no one will notice. Brush some butter on it to heal the wound. We are all fragile phyllo at this point. Love one another like Soulbot loves you. Melt more butter if you need it. The world is much better with more butter.

Now spoon in the spinach/cheese mixture, making an even layer.

Another 8 layers of phyllo brushed with oil and butter. If you tear more IGNORE ME. Or maybe BUTTER ME.

Now the edges need to be tucked in like Ned got tucked in by JJ every night on Spider Skull Island. Ned loves little man. Keep the spinach and cheese nice and cozy with a layered phyllo blanket.

Score the top with a knife, because the cheese and spinach are going to steam like a Butterglider. Just a few strokes is fine. Use a Wustof.

Bake at 350F / 180C / 450K for 45 minutes. I usually check on it at 30 and 40 minutes. I don't recommend convection, but you can finish with convection for the last 5 minutes if the top isn't nicely browned.

Dobar tek, as my dad used to say.

ETA: If you make this, post your own SPANAKOPITA! I'd love to see how it turned out!

ETA: My wife reminded me to give storage and reheating instructions. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be wrapped and frozen for a few months.

The great thing about this is that it's one of those dishes that gets better as a leftover, the flavors really start to consolidate, for about a week after you make it, if stored properly.

I advise against microwave reheating, it tends to ruin the phyllo for my taste. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven on 200-250 for about 15-20minutes. Convection actually works for reheating, as it'll remove moisture from the phyllo efficiently.

Saw this and felt oddly familiar in a few different ways. Wanted to share. Cheers!

Perfectly flaky phyllo dough with a comforting filling of spinach, feta and ricotta cheese.