Homemade Spanakopita

My father and mother survived World War II and immigrated to America. They used food and tradition to overcome their struggles and raise a healthy, joyous family. It's the good memories I have of bringing family together -- and family is of number-one importance to me.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 415 Calories

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 5 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill leaves
• 1 pound crumbled feta cheese
• ½ pound cottage cheese
• 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• ⅓ cup sour cream for garnish

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Place the spinach, eggs, dill, onion, feta cheese, cottage cheese, and black pepper into a large bowl, and mix well.

Step 3

Place 2 sheets of phyllo dough into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil; top with 2 more sheets of phyllo dough. Spread the spinach filling evenly over the sheets of phyllo, pat it down gently, and top with 2 more sheets of phyllo. Drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil, and top with the remaining 2 phyllo sheets. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned and the filling is set, about 1 hour. To serve, cut into squares and top each square with a dollop of sour cream.