Spanozaarkopita

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (white meat)
• 1 lb phyllo dough
• 1 lb portabella mushroom, cleaned,sliced into strips
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried apricot, diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried coriander
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 lbs baby spinach, stemmed,washed,dried and chopped
• 1 cup sliced scallion (white and green)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or more)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine (or more)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (Baker's Chocolate--one square)
• 1 cup farmer cheese or queso blanco or mild feta cheese

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F

2. 2

   Place the raisins and the apricots and the wine in a small pan and simmer till soft and until almost the liquid is evaporated

3. 3

   In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil and saute the mushrooms, without stirring, for about two minutes

4. 4

   Turn the mushrooms and saute, without stirring for another minute

5. 5

   Add the scallions and garlic and saute for about five minutes

6. 6

   If necessary, add a little more oil

7. 7

   Remove from the heat and add the fruit and the remaining ingredients (except the phyllo)

8. 8

   Stir until well combined

9. 9

   Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with olive oil

10. 10

    Lay a sheet of phyllo dough in the pan, brushing it with olive oil

11. 11

    Repeat this process until you have five sheets of phyllo dough in the pan

12. 12

    Spread half the spinach/chicken mixture over the dough

13. 13

    Layer three more sheets of phyllo dough over this, brushing each sheet with olive oil

14. 14

    Spread the remaining spinach mixture over the dough, smoothing it out to make it even

15. 15

    Layer five more sheets of phyllo dough, each brushed with oil, over the spinach

16. 16

    With a sharp knife, score diagonally to form diamonds

17. 17

    Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown