Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

Recipe from my Greek Neighbor! An authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made of crispy layers of phyllo dough and a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese in the middle.

I am fortunate to be living next door to a wonderful Greek family that has been cooking in their own restaurants for years.

One of the things that are traditionally cooked for Greek Orthodox Easter is a Spanakopita which is better known to most Americans as a Greek Spinach Pie. Who better to make this tasty pie than Yιαγιά (meaning grandma) which has been making this recipe for 60 years. Now that is a lot of Greek spinach pies!

A Little About Greece

Greece is one of the sunniest places on the planet, it’s no wonder that it is a popular vacation destination for so many around the world. With a population of over 10 million people, Greece is known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.

With 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to see along with 6000 islands to visit, Greece ranks number 5 as the best destination to visit. What is interesting to me is the United States is the 2nd country with the largest Greek population in the world. I have always been able to find a Greek neighborhood which where I live right now is Tarpon Spring, Florida.

How do people celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter?

Most Greek families will roast lamb on a spit or as the Greek say, "souvla," this is often on the menu for Easter. According to the Apostle John, Jesus is the Lamb of God so eating lamb on this day honors his sacrificial death.

In addition, many Greeks dye their eggs red to represent the blood from Christ’s tomb. This is sometimes baked into a sweet bread known as ‘Tsoureki 'or just a hard-boiled egg dipped in a red food dye.

How to Make Authentic Greek Spinach Pie

This recipe comes from Yιαγιά herself to make a smaller pie for just one sheet pan. It's very simple and easy to make just need a little time and a love of cooking from scratch!

Spinach Mix

1. Wash spinach and cut stems into small pieces and put in a pot of cold water. 
2. Leave for 2 minutes soaking then drain the spinach in a colander.
3. Place spinach in a bowl, mix 6 eggs to pour into the spinach, and mix.
4. Put 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onions and parsley in a pan. Once it is translucent, pour over the spinach and mix.
5. Crumble the feta over the spinach mix, add cooked rice, then mix everything together. Add pepper as desired to the mix.

Assemble the Spinach Pie

1. Melt the butter and mix with olive oil in a bowl.
2. Prepare a 9 ½" X 13" baking dish and brush the bottom and sides of the dish with butter mix.
3. To assemble, line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo letting them cover the sides of the dish then brush with butter mixture. Add two sheets in the same way and brush them with the butter mix. Repeat until two-thirds of the fillo box is used.
4. Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the crust. Tap it down to make it nice and firm. Top with two more sheets, and brush with butter mix.
5. Continue to layer the phyllo sheets, two at a time, brushing with butter mix, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with a butter mix.
6. Enjoy!

Ways to Serve

This is great to serve with a tomato salad and a variety of olives to pick. I also like to put our a variety of cheese on a platter with sliced oranges to eat. It's a wonderful lunch or brunch for spring and summer. Can be eaten cold or warm but either way, it's delicious.

Tips

One of the things that my neighbor said to do when you can't find curly spinach and just have baby spinach sold at the market, add 2 leeks chopped to the mix.

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Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

Lizzy Cascalheira

Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made of crispy layers of phyllo dough and a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese in the middle.

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Lunch

Cuisine Greek

Servings 12

Calories 678 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb Filo dough
• 2 cups butter
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup Feta
• 4 oz cottage cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 scallions chopped
• ½ cup parsley chopped
• ¾ cup rice cooked
• 24 oz spinach chopped

Instructions

 

Spinach Mix

• Wash spinach and cut stems into small pieces and put in a pot of cold water.
• Leave for 2 minutes soaking then drain the spinach in a colander.
• Place spinach in a bowl, mix 6 eggs to pour into the spinach and mix.
• Put 2 tablespoon of butter and saute onions and parsley in a pan. Once it is translucent, pour over the spinach and mix.
• Crumble the feta over the spinach mix, add cooked rice, then mix everything together. Add pepper as desired to the mix.

Assemble the Spinach Pie

• Melt the butter and mix with olive oil in a bowl.
• Prepare a 9 ½" X 13" baking dish and brush the bottom and sides of the dish with butter mix.
• To assemble, line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo (fillo) letting them cover the sides of the dish then brush with butter mix. Add two sheets in the same way and brush them with the butter mix. Repeat until two-thirds of the fillo box is used.
• Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the crust. Tap it down to make it nice and firm. Top with two more sheets, and brush with butter mix.
• Continue to layer the phyllo (fillo) sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with butter mix, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with butter mix.
• Fold the flaps or excess from the sides and brush the folded sides well with the butter mix.
• Puncture with a paring knife on the top a few times to let it vent while cooking.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until the fillo crust is crisp and golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

One of the things that my neighbor said to do when you can't find curly spinach and just have baby spinach sold at the market, just add 2 leeks chopped to the mix of the baby spinach.

Nutrition

Serving: 12gCalories: 678kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 11gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 706mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 6688IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 4mg

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