Spanakopita

recipe adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients : 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 pound fresh baby spinach (approx. 10 cups) 1/2 pound feta, crumbled (about 2 cups) 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg - optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 10 (17 by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat and cook spinach, stirring often, until wilted and tender (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and cool (about 10 minutes). 3. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop (liquid can be added to soups or stews). Transfer to a bowl and stir in feta, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. 4. Melt remaining stick of butter in a small saucepan, then cool. 5. Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. 6. Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you and brush with butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack crosswise into 6 (roughly 12"x3") strips. 7. Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on the end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangle shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on a large baking sheet and brush top with butter. Repeat until all phyllo is used. 8. Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

Any leftover filling can be eaten with toast or some pasta.