Swiss Chard Spanakopita with French Feta

Here's another one that I've adapted from Dinner at Your Door .  It was so good, I just might eat the leftovers for breakfast.

Swiss Chard will be in this week's box.  I'll let Mary address the nutritional properties - there are plenty to brag about.

French feta, if you are not familiar, is creamier and a little less sharp and salty than Greek Feta.  Phyllo (aka Filo), is widely available frozen in packages, which will require an overnight defrost in fridge).  

I picked up a package of fresh filo from the deli store at West Side Market, along with the feta, and a fresh package of pine nuts, which add a nice, buttery crunch in this recipe.  Keep your pine nuts in the freezer; they go rancid quickly.  

Swiss Chard Spanakopita with Feta (adapted from Dinner at Your Door)

1 bunch of Swiss Chard (use more if you have it, the leaves shrink a lot, like spinach)

1 onion, diced

1 T olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz French Feta, crumbled

3 eggs, beaten

S&P to taste

2 T butter, melted

2 T olive oil

1 package of frozen phyllo dough, thawed overnight in frig, then bring to room temp before using

1/4 c pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Fold Swiss Chard in half and strip off leaves.  Separate leaves and stems, rough chop leaves, then chop stems.

Fill soup pot with a quart of water.  Cook the chard leaves, covered, over medium heat 'til wilted, five minutes or so.  Rinse with cold water and drain in colander.  Press out excess water - I use a metal potato ricer to squeeze out the water.  Transfer to a bowl.

Heat 1 T oil in large saute pan.  Add onions and chard stems, saute til translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook a few more minutes.  Add to chard in bowl.  Stir in feta, eggs, salt and pepper into chard mix in bowl.

Combine melted butter and olive oil.  Use a pastry brush to apply butter to the bottom of a baking dish (I used 9x13 with 2 bunches of chard, if you only have one bunch, I'd say use a 9" square dish.  Have a clean, damp dish towel ready to cover the dough.

Unfold the dough on the counter and cover with the towel.  (If you are using a 9" dish, use a pair of kitchen shears and cut the sheets in half before covering)  Unfold one sheet of dough in half and lay it in the dish. Brush with butter/oil.  Layer second sheet on top of first and brush with butter. Repeat twice more.  

Spread chard mixture evenly over dough and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts (toast in small skillet on the stove, or on a sheet pan in the oven, til golden - don't go anywhere or multi-task during toasting; pine nuts are expensive and burn the minute you ignore them ;)

Layer 4 more sheets of dough, brushing with butter, including the top layer.  Bake about 25-30 minutes, or until top is browned and golden.