Spanakopita: Greek Spinach Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
5 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. basil
2 c. (1 lb.) cottage cheese
2 lb. fresh spinach
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper
1 lb. pkg. defrosted filo dough
1/2 lb. melted butter

Preparation

Clean, stem and chop spinach; salt lightly and cook, adding no water for 5 minutes.
Cook the onion in butter and salt lightly. When soft, combine with the cheese, eggs, flour, basil and cottage cheese.
Spread melted butter on a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
Place strudel leaf (filo) in pan and brush with butter.
Keep layering dough, one on top of another, each with butter.
When you have a pile of 8, spread on half of the filling.
Continue with another stack of 8.
Apply remaining filling.
Pile as many more layers of filo and butter as your pan will allow.
Fold excess dough down along the edges.
Butter the top leaf and sprinkle with anise or fennel seed.
Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes.
Yields 3 dozen servings.
Takes 1 1/2 hours preparation time.