Greek cuisine has been marinated in thousands of years of history and tradition. Greece will delight anyone who loves the culture and Greek cuisine. Greeks enjoy sitting around a table of small plates of delicious food, sharing the food and good company. Cheese and spinach pies are a favorite, proven to be a pleasurable experience for the palate.

From ancient times to just a century ago, information about Greek foods ”“ where they came from and how they were eaten ”“ and the influences they brought about has grown and developed.

I will do my best to answer the many inquiries about the following recipe for spanakopita. Since this appealing food is an ethnic specialty, I wondered what is the history behind this food? Where did it start?

While it was difficult to find information about spanakopita, I questioned folks from Greece, and I researched through reading the book “Culinaria Greece” by Marianthi Milona, and I’ll do my best to share their insights.

Spanakopita is made from layering flaky phyllo sheets with a savory spinach and cheese filling. It can be made as a pie or pita, or as individual triangles. It can be an appetizer or side dish for guests, and it freezes well and heats beautifully.

Spanakopita was created by poor mountain people who stuffed phyllo with whatever greens they had. No one seems to know how the mountains of the Epirus region, in particular, became so famous for its spanakopita. But from there ”“ like many other “poor man’s” dishes ”“ it spread throughout the mainland, becoming the Greek national dish.

Making spanakopita involved a great deal of work and used to be left mostly to the skilled hands of Greek grandmothers ”“ “yiayias.” Making the phyllo was the hard part, but today, we can buy pre-made phyllo.

Spanakopita

2 16-ounce bags of fresh spinach

2 sticks of melted butter

3/4 pound of feta cheese crumbled

1 pound cottage cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 bunch finely chopped scallions

1 bunch finely chopped parsley

6 beaten eggs

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and drain the chopped spinach until it’s dry. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water. Sometimes I steam the spinach, and then squeeze the water out. However you do it, the spinach should be dry.

In large mixing bowl, combine the feta, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, scallions, parsley, eggs and olive oil. Add spinach; mix until combined.

Using a pastry brush, lightly grease your pan.

Carefully remove the phyllo roll from plastic sleeve. Layer six sheets on the bottom of pan making sure to brush each sheet with melted butter.

Add spinach mixture and spread over the phyllo. Layer another six sheets on top of the spinach mixture, making sure to brush each sheet well

with butter.

Brush with water or milk over the top crust and put in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Before baking, make small slits in phyllo to allow steam to escape.

Bake in preheated, 350-degree oven until the spanakopita turns a golden brown, plan on 25-30 minutes’ baking time, depending on the oven.

— Zaffie Hadiaris of Saco is the host of “Zaffie,” a weekly television talk show on Channel 3 Biddeford public access. It can also be seen at biddefordmaine.org. Contact Hadiaris at zhadiaris@hotmail.com.