Bosnian Pita (phyllo Pie) With Spinach Filling

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 package thawed phyllo pastry sheet
• 2 bags washed fresh spinach
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sour cream (can use low fat)
• 1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• low-fat milk
• low-fat plain yogurt (optional)

Recipe

• 1 wash hands (this recipe requires you to work with the food directly with your hands).
• 2 preheat oven to 350.
• 3 wash and drain spinach.
• 4 chop spinach and put in a big glass bowl.
• 5 add salt and mix with hands.
• 6 leave the spinach to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water from the vegetable.
• 7 the water in spinach will make the filling bitter so do not skip this step.
• 8 drain the spinach by either sqeezing it bit by bit with your hand over the sink or by spinning several times in a salad spinner.
• 9 transfer drained spinach into a new bowl.
• 10 add egg, and sour cream.
• 11 fold in feta and cheddar cheese.
• 12 put some olive oil in a small bowl.
• 13 grease a 9"*13" glass or metal baking pan.
• 14 take your phyllo dough sheets and lie the sheets, stacked, on a dry surface.
• 15 tip: (while adding the filling, you may wish to cover the dough with a dry towel and then a damp one to keep it from drying out or flaking) place one sheet of dough into the pan and cut away excess.
• 16 brush with oil, using either your hands or a pastry brush.
• 17 repeat until dough is 6 or 7 layers.
• 18 add a skim of filling with hands and spread evenly.
• 19 repeat steps 16-18 until the pie reaches the top of the pan or you run out of ingredients.
• 20 just make sure you finish with the dough on top, sort of like lasagna.
• 21 place pie in the oven, uncovered, about 45 minutes.
• 22 the top becomes flaky.
• 23 pour on top of the pie while it is baking, 1/4 cup sour cream blended with 0.125 cup of milk.
• 24 bake for 15 more minutes.
• 25 this dish can be served warm or room temperature.
• 26 it is traditionally served with a yogurt beverage which is easily replicated by mixing the plain yogurt with milk, in equal parts.