I adore beets. I have tried them any multitude of ways and this is probably by far my favorite. For non-cheese eating folk, I recommend using either nothing in place of the feta or a mild vegan alternative – Dayia being my favorite. You can use a cheese grater to grate your beets, but honestly, just using a sharp knife and chopping them small works great too.
You might know the Greek version of Spanikopita, using spinach and feta with onions, herbs and other delicious flavors. I find this one to be just as satisfying without all of the hard work!
Don’t be afraid of the phyllo dough! You cannot mess it up! Even if it breaks apart, it still gets crispy and tastes delicious!
These don’t really store well, so it’s best to eat them the same day…this ensures a crispy phyllo crust.
Spaniko-Beet-A
- 4oz feta cheese – crumbled
- 4-6 medium beets with greens – washed & dried
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 package phyllo dough, thawed
- olive oil, as needed (about 1/3 cup)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Peel the raw beets and slice very thin or grate on a cheese grater. Set aside. Chop the beet greens fine, removing the stem along the way. Mix this together with the feta or cheese alternative if using.
Grease a large cookie sheet with olive oil.
Open the package of phyllo, making sure to keep any unused portion covered with a wet dishtowel so that it doesn’t dry out. Lay down two sheets in the casserole dish, then drizzle with olive oil. Spread the oil out somewhat evenly over the sheet. Repeat the process, until you have 8 sheets down.
Spread the beet-cheese mixture over the top of the 8 sheets of phyllo dough. Lay down another 8 sheets of phyllo on top of the beet-cheese mixture, oiling between every two layers. Oil the top layer, and cut the dough into large square portions or whatever way you like. It’s much easier to serve if you pre-slice it! Allow the filling to bubble up. Bake until the top is lightly browned, and the filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool 5 minutes, and serve.