Spanakopita - Greek Spinach and Feta Pie

Spanakopita - Greek Spinach and Feta Pie

This pie tastes best when made with fresh spinach, although you could also use the same amount of frozen spinach- just be sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out all the excess water to avoid a soggy pie. Cut pie into small squares or triangles to serve as an appetizer or, for a more complete meal, serve larger squares of the pie alongside a salad.

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Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Lunch, Meze

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large baking pan or casserole
Large bowl
Parchment paper
Colander

Ingredients

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)

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Instructions

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.

Notes

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.

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