Violette's Spinach Fillo

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Remove Fillo from freezer, allow to defrost for 1/2 hr.
3. Take frozen chopped spinach (not whole spinach!) and cook it for 10 minutes or so until it is fully defrosted. Put it in a colander and squeeze out every little bit of water you can. You should even use a paper towel to get all the water out.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, the eggs, the cream cheese, and the Emmanthaler. (You can also throw in any other cheeses you might have laying around.) Add salt and pepper to taste, and mix well until blended. Then add a little more salt.
5. Melt the butter in a bowl, and add 1 tbs olive oil to it. Mix with a pastry brush.
6. Take a 9x12 baking dish (glass pyrex works best) and butter the bottom and sides with the pastry brush.
7. Unfold your fillo. You will only need half of a typical 1 lb pkg, the sheets should be exactly 9x12. Place the sheets one by one in the baking dish. After every other one, brush the fillo with the butter mixture. In all, put down 8 sheets.
8. Add in the spinach mixture, spread evenly. Then cover with 8 more sheets, continuing to butter every other one. On the last one, brush again with butter, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. You can also use grated Parmesan.
9. Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes, until it begins to brown on top. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Never cover it—my mom would kill you, it gets all soggy! It is best to eat just slightly warm.