Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie made with flaky phyllo (filo) dough. It is delicious served hot or at room temperature and it goes well with Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce (Tzatziki) Sauce.
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients:
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided use
- 2 bunches green onions, cut in 1/4 inch slices
- 2 leeks (white and tender green part), cleaned and cut in 1/4 inch slices
- 16 oz frozen leaf spinach, defrosted (or lightly cooked in 1 Tbsp water and cooled)
- 2 eggs
- 1 c feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 c fresh mint, minced (or use dill)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lb frozen phyllo dough, defrosted (return remaining phyllo to freezer or refrigerator for later use)
Directions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet and saute onions and leeks until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Squeeze all excess moisture from spinach and add to onion; saute briefly. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. (The mixture should not be watery. Drain once more if needed.)
- In a large bowl beat eggs lightly. Add feta, mint, salt, pepper, and the cooled spinach mixture. Blend well and place the mixture on your work surface along with an 11 x 7 x 2 inch baking dish and the stack of phyllo. Cut the stack of phyllo in half to form a size closer to the size of the baking dish and keep covered with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel. In a small bowl, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and place on work station.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Using a pastry brush, coat your baking dish lightly with oil. Layer one-third of the phyllo in the pan, always brushing each sheet with a small amount of olive oil. ( If there is a little extra phyllo around the edges, that will be fine.) Layer one-half of the spinach mixture next. Add another third of the phyllo sheets, another half of the spinach mixture, and end with the final third of the phyllo.
- Using a sharp knife, score the upper layers of pastry into the size pieces you want to serve. (Be careful not to cut through the bottom pastry!) Bake 40 minutes, or until top is golden. Cool five minutes or more and cut through the bottom of the spanakopita before serving.
- *(The filling can be made ahead without the the feta and eggs and refrigerated till just before dinner. Then drain once more, add feta and eggs and layer with pastry just before baking.)