Fun with Filo

I recently embarked on making homemade apple turnovers. I was having a pretty specific craving and my little Oskar was up for the challenge. Now before you start to think that I actually made the filo from scratch I must tell you that I bought the filo pastry from Choices Market (and I must specify that it was spelt filo). It basically looks like filo but a bit darker. The directions are much the same as far as I know and pretty straight forward.

I am including a recipe I developed for spanikopitas recently for a client here on Bowen Island who loves pastry but doesn't love the side-affects of the white flour. So we made homemade ones with goat feta, onion, organic spinach and butter and, of course, spelt filo.

They were magnificent. Yes, they worked out beautifully despite our inexperience and trepidation while watching the filo flake and break at every move we made as we tried to fill it. I kept reassuring my client that it didn't matter. The butter will make it all better by glueing it together and once you bake it the many repair jobs you made to the multiple layers of dough are hidden...and who waits to analyze it anyways!? It's filo for crying out loud. You eat it as soon as it's cool enough that you don't scorch your tongue.

My son Oskar loved it. He promptly exclaimed, "hot-apple-pie, Momma!" for the first time as I recovered it from the oven after a lengthy bake. I'm not sure where he got that from as I've never made apple pie, but it was pretty darn cute!

My husband didn't know I was making it and came from working in the cottage to see what we had been creating. His look of delight was enough to know I had to stash some away or this wasn't going to last until tomorrow.

Here's the recipe. Follow the method on the box of filo and stuff it with either sweet or savoury or whatever you fancy, and prepare for tastebud enlightenment.

Lisa Marie’s Spelt Spanikopita w/ Spinach & Goat Feta

½ box Spelt filo pastry (from the healthfood store)
I head of fresh *organic spinach (or equivalent frozen or pre-washed)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (goat, sheep or organic cow feta)
Large onion, sautéed (optional)
Approx. 1/3 cup organic butter, melted (1/4 cup if you don’t choose to sauté onion.)

Method

1.) Follow instruction on box for preparing spelt filo for stuffing.
*Note that you should remove from freezer the day before you make it and let sit in fridge for several hours. It can be re-frozen if you have a change of plans.
2.) Cut large onion very finely (use food processor for quick, tearless option) and start frying it on low heat in butter until well-cooked, and somewhat browned.
3.)Meanwhile, put spinach and feta into food processor and blend until well-chopped.
4.) Melt butter on stovetop in a small pot or stainless steel measuring cup.
5.) Spread out sheets of filo and as per direction spread butter with a brush all over in between layers.
6.) Spread feta and spinach and onion mixture over filo and roll or cover, as desired (see directions for options).
7.) Bake according to direction until lightly browned on the edges (browning is crucial for best flavour)
8.) Let cool slightly, serve and enjoy!

Sweet version with apples: To prepare the apples, simply sautee them ahead of time, covered, in a bit of butter and a splash of water until they are soft. Add some unrefined sugar, especially if the apples are tart, and some cinnamon and/or cardamom to flavour, let it cool and stuff!

Comments? We'd love to hear them...as well as any creative ideas for filo.

Your WeeMunch hosts,

Lisa Marie & Karen