- 1½ lb Spinach, curly leaf or flat leaf
- ¼ cup Water
- 8 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
- ⅔ cup Whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- 5 stalk Scallion, finely chopped
- 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 medium Garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup Fresh mint, minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh dill, minced
- 1 tsp Lemon zest, grated
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 6 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted and mixed with olive oil
- ½ lb Phyllo dough, defrosted overnight in refrigerator
- 2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)
Prepare Filling
Place rinsed spinach and water in a large, partially closed plastic freezer bag. Microwave for 5 minutes until wilted and reduced by half. Let sit for an additional minute then drain in a colander. Gently press to release liquid. Transfer to a cutting board and chop coarse. Return to colander to press out more liquid. Squeeze spinach in paper towels or a kitchen towel and add to a bowl to mix with all of the indigents except the butter, oil, phyllo, and grated Pecorino.
Assemble Pie
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Top baking pan with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the paper in the size of a 14 by 9-inch phyllo dough sheet. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over oiled parchment rectangle. Brush top completely with oil-butter. Add another sheet, brush, and repeat until 10 sheets are stacked.Spread spinach mixture evenly over phyllo, leaving a ¼-inch border. Cover spinach with 6 more phyllo sheets, each brushed with oil and sprinkled with 2 tbsp of Pecorino cheese. Add final 2 phyllo sheets, buttered but without Pecorino.
Bake and Serve Spanakopita
Gently press out any air bubbles working from the middle-out. Using a sharp knife, score pie into 24 equal pieces, with slits going only 3 sheets deep. Bake until top is golden and crispy, about 25 minutes. Let pie cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Slide parchment paper with pie onto a cutting board. Slice slits all the way through making 24 separate squares. Plate and serve.
- Pie can be baked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight. Rewarm at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
- To serve as a main course or lunch, cut squares larger before baking.
- As you work with phyllo, lay stack on a kitchen towel and cover sheets not in use loosely with plastic wrap covered by a moist kitchen towel.
Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 5510IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2mg