Spanakopita

Name: Spanakopita
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh spinach (or 500 g frozen, well squeezed); 1 onion, chopped; 4 spring onions, sliced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 bunch of dill, chopped; ½ bunch of parsley, chopped; 250 g feta, crumbled; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 pinch of nutmeg; Salt and pepper; 10 sheets of filo pastry; 80 g melted butter or olive oil

Local name : Σπανακόπιτα

The Greek spinach and feta pie, layered between golden, shattering sheets of filo pastry.

#spinach#feta#filo#pie#dill

Photo : Alpha · CC BY-SA 2.0

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 75 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium

Method

Soften the onion and spring onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the spinach in handfuls and let it wilt. Drain very thoroughly in a colander, pressing hard.
Mix the cooled spinach with the herbs, feta, eggs, nutmeg, pepper and a little salt.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Butter a 25 x 35 cm dish. Lay in 5 sheets of filo one at a time, brushing each with butter and letting the edges hang over.
Spread the filling. Cover with the remaining 5 buttered sheets, fold the edges in and brush the top.
Score the top into portions with a sharp knife, without cutting through to the base.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deeply golden. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Moisture is the enemy of spanakopita: badly drained spinach gives a soggy pie. Squeeze until not a single drop comes out.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories: 359 kcal
Protein: 14.1 g
Fat: 29.4 g
Carbohydrate: 13.4 g
Fibre: 4.7 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

My pie came out soft and soggy. Why?

The spinach was not squeezed dry enough. Once wilted, press it in a colander until not a drop comes out, and be especially thorough with frozen spinach, which holds a lot. Any water left behind escapes in the oven and softens the filo from below.

Why score the top before baking?

Baked filo turns brittle and shatters if you cut it afterwards. Marking the portions with a sharp knife before it goes in, without cutting through to the filling, lets you slice cleanly later and gives the steam a way out.

How do I stop the filo drying out while I assemble?

Unwrap the stack only when you are ready and keep the waiting sheets under a slightly damp cloth. Brush each sheet with butter as soon as it is laid down: a sheet left in the air turns brittle within minutes and tears as you unfold it.

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