Photo courtesy of the Village Cafe

Before heading out to Siesta Key Beach this weekend, stop at the Village Café for a quick and light bite. A local legend of sorts, the sand-blown café plays host to a number of Greek specialties—the traditional spanakopita will have you feeling like you are lounging on the shores of Mykonos in no time. Light enough not to weigh you down while luxuriating on the sand but with a hearty filling, the puff pastry is the perfect pre-beach snack.

Ingredients: 2 sticks butter; 3 lbs cooked spinach; 1 ¼ pound feta cheese; 1 large white onion, chopped; 3 bunches scallions, chopped; 3 oz. fresh dill, chopped; 4 eggs, beaten; 2 sheets phyllo dough; 1 cup butter, melted; 1 Tbsp. butter; garlic powder to taste; salt and pepper to taste.

Filling: Mix two sticks of butter with onion, scallions, and dill. Sauté mixture in pan over medium high heat until onions are translucent. Add cooked spinach to pan and stir. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool for 30 minutes. Once the mixture has cooled, add feta cheese and eggs. Mix well.

Lay out sheets of phyllo dough and brush with melted butter. Cut sheets in half. Add 3-4 tablespoons of filling to one end of the strip of dough. Fold and flip the dough over the filling a few times to create an enclosed triangle. Brush the end of the strip of dough with melted butter to seal up the triangle and brush butter over the top. Add assembled spanakopita to baking tray and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The spanakopita is finished when the top is golden brown and crispy. Serve while hot.

Photo courtesy of the Village Cafe

The Village Cafe, 5133 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota, 941-349-2822.