This is my twist on classic Greek spanakopita, a spinach and phyllo pie. I add fennel and artichoke hearts. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t go mad for these crisp and savory little pastries.

　　

Ingredients

makes 24-30 cocktail-size crisps

　　

Filling

3 tablespoons olive oil

　　3/4 pound fresh spinach, washed and dried

　　Salt

　　1 small onion, finely chopped

　　1/2 small fennel bulb, finely chopped, optional

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, cleaned, and coarsely chopped, or 1 (9-ounce) package frozen, thawed and chopped

　　3 tablespoons flour

　　1 cup milk

　　Pepper

　　Hot sauce

　　1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

　　1/2 cup finely chopped scallions

　　1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if desired

　　1 to 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

　　

Phyllo Crisps

1/2 pound phyllo dough

　　1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, melted

　　1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

　　Spinach and artichoke filling

　　

Filling

Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the spinach and stir with a pair of tongs or a spatula. Season the spinach with a little salt and cook until it is just barely wilted. Remove it from the pan and drain in a colander.

　　

Step 2

When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess water and chop. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and sauté the onion, fennel, and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook for 2 more minutes, then add the flour and stir to evenly coat vegetables. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped spinach and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. Place in a food processor and add the cream cheese, cut into pieces. Pulse to combine mixture. Add the dill, scallions, lemon juice, and feta and pulse once or twice more. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Scrape the filling into a container and cool completely or refrigerate until needed.

　　

Phyllo Crisps

Step 3

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface with the long side facing you. Brush evenly with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Repeat brushing and sprinkling with 2 more sheets, stacking them on top of the first. Slice the sheets vertically into 5 equal strips. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling on the bottom corner of each strip. Fold the corner up over the filling to form a triangle, then continue folding, flag style, until you reach the top. Brush the top with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Continue with remaining strips, until all filling is used up. Refrigerate (or freeze) until ready to bake.

　　

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 5

Place the crisps on a greased baking sheet, leaving a little space between them, and bake until golden brown, about 6–8 minutes. (If frozen, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake about 15 minutes.) Serve warm.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.