Greek Spanakopita Cups

Instructions

1. 01Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with a thin coating of melted butter, making sure to get the sides and bottoms of each well.
2. 02Prepare the spinach filling: Place the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze very firmly over the sink to remove as much moisture as possible; the spinach should feel almost dry and crumbly. Measure out 1 packed cup of the squeezed spinach and set aside.
3. 03In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the sliced scallions and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the squeezed spinach, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook for 2 minutes to drive off any remaining moisture. Remove from heat and let cool 5 to 10 minutes.
4. 04In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined. Add the cooled spinach mixture, dill, parsley, feta, Parmesan, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir until evenly combined. Taste a small bit of the mixture (feta can be salty) and adjust with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed. Set aside.
5. 05Combine the 1/2 cup melted butter with 1 tbsp olive oil (if using) in a small bowl. Lay out the phyllo: Unroll the thawed phyllo sheets onto a clean, dry surface. Immediately cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and then a barely damp (not wet) kitchen towel to prevent drying.
6. 06Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time, remove a sheet from under the towel and re-cover the stack. Place the sheet in front of you with the long side facing you. Lightly brush the surface with the butter mixture, using quick, gentle strokes - don't saturate it, just a thin sheen.
7. 07Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the buttered phyllo sheet into 6 equal rectangles (cut once vertically down the center, then into thirds horizontally). Stack the 6 rectangles loosely.
8. 08Take one rectangle and press it gently into a muffin cup, buttered side up, letting the corners rise above the rim and conform to the round, flared shape of the well. Press it snugly against the bottom so it takes on the circular base. Rotate the next rectangle slightly (like turning it 30-45 degrees), and press it in on top of the first, again buttered side up, to create a crisscrossed, layered shell. Repeat with a third rectangle, rotating again, so you have 3 layers forming one cup, with ragged, flared edges around the top.
9. 09Repeat steps 6-8 with additional phyllo sheets until all 12 muffin wells are lined. You'll use about 6 sheets total (3 rectangles per cup x 12 cups = 36 rectangles; 6 sheets x 6 rectangles each = 36). If the top edges look dry, lightly brush just the exposed rims with a bit more butter.
10. 10Spoon the spinach-feta filling evenly into the prepared phyllo shells, about 2 heaping tbsp per cup, filling each almost to the top of the phyllo but not overfilling. Gently tap the pan on the counter once to settle the filling into the round bases.
11. 11Bake on the middle rack at 375°F for 20 to 22 minutes, until the phyllo is deep golden brown and crisp at the edges and the filling is set and slightly puffed in the centers. If any cups brown faster than others, rotate the pan after 15 minutes.
12. 12Remove the pan from the oven and let the cups cool in the tin for 8 to 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides of each well to release any stuck phyllo, then carefully lift each spanakopita cup out by grasping the crisp edges and supporting the bottom with a small offset spatula or spoon. Serve warm or at room temperature.