Baked Brie Spanakopita Recipe

Not only does this impressive appetizer boast a centerpiece of gooey Brie cheese, but there's also plenty of tangy feta and creamy ricotta going on, as a nod to classic spanakopita. The Brie surrounds a spinach filling featuring the other cheeses, and the decadent mashup is baked inside a phyllo dough purse for a striking presentation.

Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian
Show: The Kitchen
Episode: Holiday Cocktail Party

Total:1 hrActive: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed of excess water using a clean towel
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
One 12- to 14-ounce wheel Brie cheese
3 frozen phyllo dough sheets (18 by 14 inches), thawed
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the spinach, feta, ricotta, scallions, parsley and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the Brie in half through the equator. Place the filling in the center of the cheese and top with the other half.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo onto a work surface and brush with butter. Lay another sheet down and turn it slightly, keeping the center point. Brush with butter. Repeat to make a complete wheel with the last sheet. Brush with butter. Place the cheese wheel in the center of the phyllo and wrap the phyllo, twisting the top vertically. Some pieces may crumble.

Brush with more butter and transfer to a roasting rack on a baking sheet. Bake until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Allow to rest on a cooling rack for another 15 minutes before serving.