Description
A traditional Greek spanakopita recipe featuring homemade phyllo dough layered with a flavorful spinach and herb filling, and optionally enhanced with ripe feta cheese. This recipe guides you through making tender, crispy phyllo sheets from scratch and assembling a beautifully crisp, golden spanakopita perfect for a savory main course or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Spanakopita Filling
- 700 grams fresh spinach, chopped
- 1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 150 grams red onion, finely chopped (1 medium)
- 90 grams spring onions, greens and white parts separated and finely chopped (3-4 stalks)
- 50 grams leek, finely chopped (½ small)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra splash for sautéing
- 3 tablespoons dill or fennel greens, minced
- 5-6 spearmint leaves (use only 2-3 if using peppermint)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 250 grams ripened feta cheese, crumbled (8.8 ounces)
Phyllo Dough
- 450 grams all-purpose flour (3¾ cups)
- ⅔ tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 240 ml water
For Rolling the Phyllo
- 80 grams all-purpose flour (⅔ cup)
- 80 grams cornstarch (8 tablespoons)
For Brushing the Phyllo and Pan
- 180 ml extra virgin olive oil (¾ cup)
Instructions
- Prepare the Spinach: Add the chopped spinach and coarse sea salt to a large bowl. Rub and massage the spinach thoroughly until it reduces by half in volume. Set aside to allow the salt to draw out moisture.
- Make the Phyllo Dough: In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Gradually add water while mixing until you form a soft, bread-like dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes to develop elasticity, then shape it into a round ball. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea towel and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Prepare the Filling: Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the red onion, leek, and the white parts of the spring onions until they become soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the green parts of the spring onions and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Squeeze water out of the massaged spinach by taking handfuls and compressing firmly to remove excess liquid. Transfer the squeezed spinach to a large bowl. Mix in the sautéed vegetables, dill, spearmint leaves, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper to taste, and crumbled feta if using. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Roll the Phyllo: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a small bowl, combine the 80 grams of all-purpose flour with the 80 grams of cornstarch for dusting. On a clean floured surface, knead the rested dough briefly and then shape it into a thick cord. Cut the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape each piece into a round ball. Dust your working surface with the flour and cornstarch mixture. Take one dough ball at a time, dust it with the mixture, and roll it out with a rolling pin into a 10 cm round disk. Repeat for all dough balls. Place the rolled phyllo sheets on a floured pan with some flour between each sheet to prevent sticking. Cover with a damp tea towel and rest for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the Spanakopita: Generously brush a 31 cm (12-inch) round pan with extra virgin olive oil. Roll one phyllo sheet large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Carefully place it over the pan, brushing it generously with olive oil. Repeat by layering two more phyllo sheets the same way, brushing each with oil to create a well-oiled base. Spread one-third of the spinach filling evenly over the phyllo. Roll out another phyllo sheet just large enough to fit inside the pan, brush with oil, and place over the filling. Add two-thirds of the filling, then place another phyllo sheet, brush with oil, and spread the remaining filling evenly. Finally, add the top five phyllo sheets one at a time, brushing each generously with olive oil. Ruffle the top phyllos slightly to add texture and create a crispy crust. Fold the edges of the bottom phyllo sheets over the top to create a neat pie edge. Trim any excess phyllo with a knife.
- Cut and Bake: Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled pie into 16 pieces without cutting through the bottom phyllo layer. Place the pan on a middle-low rack in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the top is golden honey brown and the phyllo is crisp.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the baked spanakopita from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the layers to set. After resting, cut through the layers fully and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Massaging the spinach with salt is crucial to remove excess moisture and prevent a soggy filling.
- Resting the dough helps improve its elasticity and makes rolling easier.
- When rolling out phyllo, keep dusting both the work surface and dough to prevent sticking.
- You can substitute feta with a dairy-free cheese, but traditional spanakopita typically includes feta.
- For a crisper top, ruffling the top phyllo layers adds texture after brushing with oil.
- Allowing the spanakopita to rest after baking helps the pie hold its shape when cutting.
- Use extra virgin olive oil for authentic flavor and better texture in both filling and phyllo layers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
