Pita di Spinaku

Ingredients

 * 2 - 10 oz. pks. frozen spinach
 * 4 eggs
 * 1 pound cottage cheese, farmer cheese, or Greek feta cheese, crumbled
 * dash of salt
 * 4 1/2 - 5 cups unbleached flour
 * 2 tsp. salt
 * 2-2 1/2 cups water
 * 2 sticks butter melted

Directions
Filling:
 * 1) Prepare spinach according to package. Strain and let cool.
 * 2) Combine cheese, eggs, 1 tbs. of the melted butter and dash of salt. Set aside.

Crust:
 * 1) In a large bowl, sift 4 1/2 cups flour.
 * 2) Add 2 tsp. salt and mix with a fork.
 * 3) Slowly add the water and work dough with fingertips to form a soft, smooth, elastic ball.
 * 4) Knead for 10 minutes, adding more sifted flour or water if needed. Do not let the dough get tough. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
 * 5) Split dough in half to form 2 pieces.
 * 6) Roll one piece of dough until thin and the size of the shallow rectangular pan you will use for the pie (approx. 14"L x 12"W x 1"D).
 * 7) Spread the dough with some of the melted butter.
 * 8) With a knife, draw a small circle in the center and cut from the outside of the circle to form a "sun" pattern with 8 cut sections.
 * 9) Turn one piece over onto the circle and butter the top of that section. Repeat the same procedure with each section, layering them on top of each other, but leave the 8th section unbuttered. Refrigerate.
 * 10) Repeat the same procedure with the second piece of dough and refrigerate as well.
 * 11) Remove 1st chilled piece of dough. Sprinkle with flour and roll out until dough is one inch bigger than the pan. #Place rolled out dough in buttered pan. Add spinach filling and spread.
 * 12) Roll out 2nd chilled piece of dough so that it overlaps at least one inch on all sides of the pan. Place over spinach filling and tuck edges into side of pan to form a thick crust. Brush top with remaining melted butter.
 * 13) Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, lower heat to 400 and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until golden and crispy. Remove from oven, cut into squares. Yields about 18 pieces.