Greeks know how to make veggies fast-food-level-enticing, don’t they ? I’d crave this spinach pie as much as a Quarter Pounder with cheese.
I was lucky enough to have Spanakopita in Greece first, then in an authentic Greek restaurant in Paris. This acted as a definite reminder that I needed to figure this recipe out, and the sooner, the better.
I was left dumbfounded by the fresh, sweet and fragrant taste of this pie ; you’d think it bitter and plain , with all this spinach, but it is quite the opposite. The herbs trinity used –mint, dill and parsley– is essential here ; on top of the bright acidity feta cheese provides, they bring out a welcome freshness to the dish, and strong herbs like dill create an additional depth of flavour. I wouldn’t skip any of them.
The texture of this flaky pie is key, too ; I definitely recommend using filo sheets, which I found quite easily in Greek shops. Their lightness and crispiness works perfectly with the quite dense and soft filling.
Spanakopita – Recipe
Ingredients – Pieces of advice
- This is one of these recipes where I recommend you not to alter the ingredients too much ; the spinach, feta cheese, herbs trinity and filo sheets are all important to the tastes and textures’ balance, in my opinion.
- You will find filo sheets and blocks of feta cheese quite easily in Greek shops or on the internet. In France, feta cheese if even found in small supermarkets.
- Careful : the recipe requires a massive amount of spinach. You have 2 choices here, depending on the time you’re willing to spend on this recipe :
- Buy them frozen, which saves quite a bit of prep time. You need to thaw them, squeeze them, and slice them up roughly. That’s it !
- Buy them fresh. In this case, add a whole hour of prep time ; you need to :
- wash them thoroughly, making sure each leave is clean and devoid of any bugs and dirt ;
- remove any large stem ;
- pan-fry them in batches so that they wilt ;
- squeeze out the excess water ;
- slice them up roughly.
- Make sure to properly squeeze out the excess water from your spinach ; if you don’t, the filo sheets might get too damp, which is not what you want in order to get a crispy Spanakopita.
Off to your kitchen now !
Note : This happens to be a vegetarian dish, and I have never thought of it as such -I assure you your omnivore friends will be equally thrilled by this wonder !
Spanakopita (Spinach & feta flaky pie)
Description
A delightful flaky pie filled with fragrant, herbaceous spinach & lots of feta cheese.
Ingredients
For assembly
Instructions
Prep your ingredients
Mince your onions. Chop your herbs together.
If using fresh spinach :
Rinse and dry your spinach thoroughly.
Remove the toughest ends.
If using frozen ones
Thaw your spinach overnight or using the microwave oven on a low defrosting setting.
Squeeze the water out properly.
Cooking time
If using fresh spinach :
To a pan on medium heat, add your oil, then your onion. Cook until soft, around 5 minutes.
Cook your spinach in batches until wilted.
When they're all cooked, add your herbs. Stir and remove from heat.
When they're cool enough to handle, chop them up roughly.
If using frozen spinach :
To a pan on medium heat, add your oil, then your onion. Cook until soft, around 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, add your spinach mixture and herbs. Stir.
Mix it all
Your spinach mixture is now added to a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Crumble your feta cheese. Mix well again.
Assemble
Preheat your oven @190°C.
Pour 6 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl. Take a kitchen brush.
Oil the bottom and sides of a large baking baking dish.
Put a sheet of filo pastry in the baking dish, crumpling it as needed to make it fit.
With the help of the kitchen brush, dab the sheet with olive oil
Put a second one ; dab again. Then a third.
Pour half of the filling filling. Spread it well.
Add 2 more sheets, oiling it in between each time.
Spread the rest of the filling.
Top it with the last 5 sheets (still oiling in between each one).
Oil well the last sheet.
Square & cook !
With a knife, square the top sheets. It will prevent them from flying around in the oven and from falling apart when trying to cut it.
Off to the oven for 35mn !
Let it cool down a little before serving, around 10 minutes.