Authentic Greek Spanakopita ~ Greens & Feta Pie from the Land of Plato

Spanakopita is one of those dishes that looks far more intimidating than it actually is. At first glance, it has all the makings of kitchen drama: paper-thin sheets of phyllo, melted butter, a generous filling of greens and feta, and the expectation that somehow every layer should behave itself.

But here is the truth: phyllo is much more forgiving than people think.

Ask anyone who is not Greek, and they’ll often tell you how terrifying phyllo can be. The sheets tear. They dry out. They refuse to lie perfectly smooth. The whole thing can feel like a delicate operation requiring a steady hand and nerves of steel.

Now talk to a Greek cook, and you’ll hear a very different story.

The top sheets are sticking together?

Peel them apart gently.

A few sheets tear?

Use them on the bottom. No one will know, and frankly, no one will care.

As long as your top few sheets are beautiful, golden, and buttery, the spanakopita will emerge from the oven looking exactly as it should: rustic, generous, and impossibly inviting.

In short, stop worrying about the phyllo.

The secret is not perfection. The secret is confidence, butter, and a good technique.

My favorite technique is stacking. Instead of fussing with one sheet at a time, stack several sheets together, butter as needed, place them into your dish, and move along. It is faster, easier, and far less precious.

Once you understand that phyllo does not need to be flawless, spanakopita becomes one of the most satisfying savory pies you can make.

Summer is the perfect time for this gorgeous recipe! Give it a go!

warmly,

Devaki

Recipe for

Spanakopita ~ Spinach Pie from Greece

Shopping list:

1-1/4 lbs. spinach, frozen (thawed)

1/3 cup olive oil

yellow onions (to yield 1-1/2 cups diced)

red onions (to yield 1-1/2 cups diced)

2 bunches green onions, diced (incl. 4 inches green portions)

½ cup parsley, to yield ½ cup chopped

fresh dill, to yield ½ cup chopped

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 lb feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 lb. cottage cheese, drained

3 eggs

For the pastry:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb #4 style phyllo pastry sheets, preferably purchased at the Middle Eastern store

Also a 9” x 12” rectangular Pyrex baking pan.

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Spinach: Wash and drain the chopped spinach very well. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water in a sieve by pressing down. Spinach should be dry.

Onions: Peel, discard skin & root ends. Finely chop set aside.

Green onions: Cut away the root tips and chop including 4-5 inches of the green portions.

Parsley & dill: Separate the leaves from the stems. Finely chop and set aside.

Eggs: In a bowl, beat with a fork and set aside.

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a deep sauté pan on over medium high heat. Sauté all the onions until softened with ½ tsp salt.

Add the spinach, parsley and dill for 5 to 10 minutes until all the excess moisture evaporates from the greens. Spinach mixture should be on the dry side.

Add the nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Remove from heat and set the spinach aside to cool in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the feta and cottage cheese. Add the cooled spinach mixture and mix until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Now add the beaten eggs and thoroughly combined.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and add the olive oil. Keep a pastry brush in the pan ready to go.

Using a pastry brush, lightly grease the 9 x 12 rectangular pan.

Unwrap the Phyllo sheets:

Carefully remove the Phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve.

Most packages come in 12 x 18 inch sheets when opened fully. Using a sharp knife & metal scale, cut the sheets in half to make two stacks of 9x12 inch sheets.

To prevent drying, cover one stack with wax paper and a damp paper towels while working with the other.

Prepare the Phyllo sheets:

Using PAM spray, ‘glue’ a large sheet on wax paper on the working surface.

Working, 1 sheet at a time, brushing each sheet with the butter/olive oil mixture, layer about 10 sheets on the wax paper.

Once done, pick up the entire stack with both hands and position centrally and evenly in the pyrex dish allowing the excess to overhang.

Add half of the spinach mixture in an even layer and press with a spatula to flatten.

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Place 2 phyllo sheets folded over the spinach to absorb any additional moisture from the greens while baking.

Once again, on the same or a fresh piece of wax paper, layer another 10 sheets brushing well with butter/olive oil mixture. Place the phyllo stack atop the spinach mixture.

Use a serrated knife to score the top layers of phyllo (making sure not to puncture filling layer) into serving squares to enable easier cutting of pieces later.

Bake in the preheated oven until the phyllo turns a deep golden brown approx 1 hour-30 minutes.

Allow to cool for approx. 10 minutes or so before cutting into the scored lines. Spanakopita can be served warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

#Greek #Spanakopita #Authentic

Recipe for

Authentic Greek Spanakopita: Greens & Feta Pie from the Land of Plato

Serves 8–10

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 large red onion, finely chopped

• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

• 2 lbs. fresh spinach, washed, drained, and roughly chopped

• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lb. good-quality Greek or Turkish feta, crumbled

• 1 cup cottage cheese

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Phyllo

1 lb. #4 phyllo sheets, preferably Athena or Apollo brand, thawed according to package instructions1 cup unsalted butter, melted2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing the baking dish

Method

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Begin by preparing the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, red onion, and green onions. Cook gently until the onions are soft, fragrant, and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. They should not brown; you want sweetness here, not sharpness.

Add the spinach in batches, stirring as it wilts down. Once all the spinach has collapsed, continue cooking for a few minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated. This is important. A wet filling will make the phyllo soggy, and soggy phyllo is not why we are here.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Transfer the greens and onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped parsley, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, crumbled feta, cottage cheese, and beaten eggs. Mix well until everything is evenly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, keeping in mind that feta can be quite salty.

Now prepare the phyllo: Brush a large baking dish with olive oil. Keep the phyllo covered with a lightly damp kitchen towel while you work so it does not dry out.

Place 4–5 sheets of phyllo on your work surface in a neat stack. Brush the top sheet generously with melted butter. Do not fuss over every corner. This is spanakopita, not surgery.

Lift the entire stack and place it into the baking dish, allowing the edges to drape over the sides. Repeat with another stack of 4–5 sheets, placing it at a slight angle so the base and sides of the dish are well covered. Continue until you have built a generous bottom layer, using about half the phyllo.

If some sheets tear, use them here. No one will know. No one will care. The bottom layers are where imperfect phyllo goes to live a useful life.

Spoon the spinach and feta filling evenly over the phyllo base.

Now create the top. Stack another 4–5 sheets of phyllo, brush with butter, and place them over the filling. Continue with the remaining phyllo, buttering as you go, until the top is covered with several beautiful layers.

Fold any overhanging edges inward to create a rustic border. Brush the top generously with melted butter.

Using a sharp knife, gently score the top layers into squares or diamonds. Do not cut all the way through to the bottom; just score the top so the baked spanakopita will be easier to portion later.

Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the phyllo is deeply golden, crisp, and beautifully puffed.

Remove from the oven and let the spanakopita rest for at least 20–30 minutes before cutting. This allows the filling to settle and makes serving much easier. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook’s Notes

• Good feta matters. Buy feta in a block from a Greek, Turkish, or Middle Eastern grocery store if possible. Avoid dry pre-crumbled feta, which lacks the creaminess and flavor this dish deserves.

• Do not use ricotta. Cottage cheese gives creaminess without taking the filling in the wrong direction.

• Do not panic over torn phyllo. Torn sheets go on the bottom or in the middle. Save the prettiest sheets for the top.

• The stacking technique is the trick. Instead of buttering and placing one phyllo sheet at a time, stack several sheets together and move them as a group. It is faster, easier, and produces a beautiful result.

• Spanakopita is excellent warm, but it is also wonderful at room temperature, which makes it perfect for entertaining, picnics, brunches, and the kind of casual grazing that somehow turns into dinner.