I have said many times (in this forum) that Eric’s favorite Greek dish is spanakopita. And it is. But every time I have said that, I have presented a recipe that uses the Greek spinach pie filling and uses it as an add in for mashed potatoes or burgers, a filling for stuffed peppers, mushroom caps, and chicken breasts, or as a topping for baked potatoes. Never for authentic spanakopita. Until now.

Since the pandemic began and we all had more time at home, Eric has been learning about working with phyllo dough and we have been experimenting with the filling and perfecting the technique for making this traditional Greek spinach pie. We finally have a version we love and make often.

One of the secrets to working with phyllo dough is to keep the sheets covered with plastic wrap or wax paper, and then with a damp cloth while assembling the dish. This keeps the individual sheets from drying out and tearing when used. If just a damp towel is used directly on top of the phyllo sheets, they will become soggy and stick together. The other secret we have learned is to lightly but generously brush each layer with olive oil, starting at the edges and working in towards the middle. The prevents the edges from drying out.

The original recipe calls for #4 phyllo dough. We have not been able to find it. Yet. So far, all we can get is #10. The number refers to the thickness of the individual sheets. The lower the number, the thinner the sheets. Along with the other changes and adjustments to the original recipe, I have written it to be made with #10 sheets. It takes a very generous amount of oil between the layers to keep the thicker #10 sheets light and flaky. And it absolutely is light and flaky. And delicious!

Spanakopita (adapted from themediterraneandish.com)  Total Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes, Prep Time: 30 minutes,  Cook Time: 1 hour, Yield: 12 pieces

Ingredients:

For the Spinach and Feta Filling:

• 16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well-drained
• 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 10 ounces Greek feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

For the Crust:

• 16 ounce package phyllo dough (#10 pastry sheets), thawed & covered according to package directions
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325º F. Drain the spinach well and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.

Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, add the spinach, parsley, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the eggs, feta, dill, lemon zest, and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix it all together until it is well-combined. Set the filling aside.

Unroll the phyllo sheets and place them between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper, then between two slightly damp kitchen cloths. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-1/2″ X 13″ baking dish with olive oil.

Assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo dough, letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush them generously with olive oil, starting at the edges and working in towards the center. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them generously with olive oil. Repeat this process until two-thirds of the phyllo sheets are used up. Flatten half of the edges of the sheets down onto the bottom of the dish, leaving the rest of the edges up on the sides of the dish. Brush the flattened edges with oil.

Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo layers in the dish.

Top the filling with two more sheets of phyllo dough and brush them with olive oil.

Continue to layer the phyllo sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with olive oil, until all the sheets have been used. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle it with just a few drops of water. Fold the flaps from the sides over top of the crust. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil. Cutting only halfway through the spanakopita, cut it into squares.

Bake the spanakopita in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove it from the oven. Finish cutting the spanakopita into squares and serve.

To Make Ahead: Prepare the spanakopita the evening before. Cover and refrigerate it when all the layers have been added and the top layer has been well oiled. Allow the spanakopita to sit out while the oven is preheating. Bake in a preheated 325º F oven.

Once cooked, the spanakopita will keep well covered and stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Rewarm the spanakopita in a medium-heated oven until it is warmed through.

Kalí óreksi!  ~Linda

Spanakopita (adapted from themediterraneandish.com)  Total Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes, Prep Time: 30 minutes,  Cook Time: 1 hour, Yield: 12 pieces

Ingredients:

For the Spinach and Feta Filling:

• 16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well-drained
• 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 10 ounces Greek feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

For the Crust:

• 16 ounce package phyllo dough (#10 pastry sheets), thawed & covered according to package directions
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325º F. Drain the spinach well and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.

Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, add the spinach, parsley, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the eggs, feta, dill, lemon zest, and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix it all together until it is well-combined. Set the filling aside.

Unroll the phyllo sheets and place them between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper, then between two slightly damp kitchen cloths. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-1/2″ X 13″ baking dish with olive oil.

Assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo dough, letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush them generously with olive oil, starting at the edges and working in towards the center. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them generously with olive oil. Repeat this process until two-thirds of the phyllo sheets are used up. Flatten half of the edges of the sheets down onto the bottom of the dish, leaving the rest of the edges up on the sides of the dish. Brush the flattened edges with oil.

Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo layers in the dish. Top the filling with two more sheets of phyllo dough and brush them with olive oil.

Continue to layer the phyllo sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with olive oil, until all the sheets have been used. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle it with just a few drops of water.

Fold the flaps from the sides over top of the crust. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil. Cutting only halfway through the spanakopita, cut it into squares.

Bake the spanakopita in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove it from the oven. Finish cutting the spanakopita into squares and serve.

To Make Ahead: Prepare the spanakopita the evening before. Cover and refrigerate it when all the layers have been added and the top layer has been well oiled. Allow the spanakopita to sit out while the oven is preheating. Bake in a preheated 325º F oven.

Once cooked, the spanakopita will keep well covered and stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Rewarm the spanakopita in a medium-heated oven until it is warmed through.