Spanakopita

We all know that food is your best medicine! This recipe was requested by my dear friend Amie. She is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment and deserves to be at peace with life during this time. And sharing delicious treats is a wonderful thing to do with anyone!
The recipe is courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. After a google search I ended up on foodtv.com.
It actually calls for using dried parsley and basil (!) and oregano. I did use dry oregano (even though we have it in the garden), I think it's better. The parsley was from the garden and basil from the supermarket (I dearly miss the prolific garden basil and WHY didn't I freeze some this year?)...
3 sticks of melted unsalted butter. OH YEAH! Don't let this amount scare you!

See that white stuff? Those are milk solids which rise to the top. They are easily skimmed off with a spoon since it is light like a foam. Once that is done, the butter is considered "clarified". I understand that you can find this already clarified butter at Indian markets. It is referred to as "ghee" and has a slightly higher smoke point when cooking. Another fine note, removing the solids is helpful for those who are lactose intolerant, since they do contain some lactose.

This is the tedious part: carefully handling fragile paper-thin slices of phyllo, brusing them in butter (4 layers) then (the fun part) making wrapped spinach-feta mix triangles.
The first two pieces of phyllo went to the trash! Good thing I had the perfect amount of phyllo at the end. This recipe seems to understand that up to two pieces will fall apart. Think: 26 sheets in a half package, 24 used. Not bad! There were 18 pieces altogether. So you can see, it is a bit time consuming, layering, buttering, etc. I was amazed to see that bowl of butter gradually disappear!

Towards the end, as I felt my way through this new recipe, I realized it was easier to form the spinach mix into triangles to begin.

The recipe calls for baking at 350º for fifteen minutes. I actually had to add on 6 more minutes, in 3 minute intervals. Part of the problem is that we have a drafty old oven. And part of it is (I usually do) should have used an oven thermometer. It preheated long enough, anyhow. *But* I thought it was at my usual mark for 350 (375 on our dial ;D) so I am wondering now if this should just be baked at a higher temperature, or the heat turned up at the end to brown. These were cooked but I desire a darker crust. I didn't continue cooking since the bottom was already brown and I could smell the better beginning to burn in the oven (I think from dripping over). A next time thought is to use two rimmed cookie sheets. The recipe calls for one but it's a rather crowded one.
Reward! Beware: highly addictive. I want my fourth after posting this. Sooooo incredible! And only better with practice!!

Here is the recipe I used:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/spanakopita-recipe/index.html