Posted on 2012-06-26
Greek Spinach Pie (or Spanakopita) is a Greek style pie made with phyllo pastry and filled with spinach, ricotta cheese and feta cheese.
This spinach and ricotta pie is wonderfully impressive and it is easier to make than you might think. A great recipe to serve for brunch or as a veggie appetizer for a crowd!
For another simple recipe using filo pastry, check out Cigarette Borek recipe made with fresh cilantro and feta cheese.
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Greek Spinach Pie
Yield: Serves 5
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chopped spinach, about 330 g
- 12 sheets phyllo (filo) pastry
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups traditional ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- salt & black pepper to taste
Measures
Instructions:
Tips for using phyllo dough:
1- Keep the package closed when thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
2- Prepare all ingredients for your recipe before opening the thawed phyllo.
3- Cover the unrolled phyllo with a clean wet towel to keep it moist. It dries out very quickly. As you remove one sheet at a time, cover the remainder to prevent drying.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for about 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Increase heat to medium-high, add chopped spinach and cook uncovered until the spinach is completely wilted, stirring occasionally. Squeeze out all of the excess liquid from the spinach in a colander with the back of a spoon.
Mix the drained spinach mixture, feta, ricotta, egg, salt and black pepper in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 8x11-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Gently place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush with melted butter (you may have to cut the phyllo sheet to fit the dish or fold in any overlap).
Half the phyllo sheets will be used on the bottom and the other half on top of the filling. Repeat until you have 6 layers, buttering each sheet lightly.
Spread the spinach and cheese mixture evenly over the phyllo layers.
Use all the remaining sheets of dough for the top, buttering each sheet lightly. Brush the top layer with butter. Use a sharp knife and cut all the way through to the bottom.
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (keep an eye on them).
Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Filed under: Vegetarian
Let me know what you think of this "Greek Spinach Pie" in the comments, thanks!
Easy Vegetarian Meals
- Spinach Ricotta Frittata
- Baked Feta with Spinach and Chickpeas
- Nargesi Esfenaj (Persian Egg and Spinach)
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Comments
Posted by Cooking and Cooking on 2018-02-28
@Kristen, I'm not sure. It should be ok with frozen spinach but I've never used canned spinach.
Posted by Kristen on 2018-02-27
Can you use canned spinach?
Posted by Lorraine on 2016-08-18
Looks good
Posted by Me on 2015-08-25
easy
Posted by Katie on 2015-06-02
This is delicious! I've made it two times and everyone loved it both times. The only comment was that there wasn\'t a strong enough feta flavor.. so I added double the second time and I was still told there wasn't enough feta flavor. So if you're a feta lover, add a lot extra. But overall, it's delicious!
Posted by Anonymous on 2015-05-08
great recipe
Posted by jan on 2015-04-04
ENJOY ~
Posted by deanna on 2015-03-19
My family makes this every year. Its a Favorite! We use spinich, feta cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese! Its sooooooo much better (i think ) and cheesier. :)
Posted by Debra Tanner on 2015-02-27
This dish is absolutely delicious, I have made it several times.
Posted by bonnie on 2014-12-13
Super delicious I.used a bunch of green onions for the onion in this recipe and added about 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Posted by Toni on 2012-08-22
Awesome a really great recipe I really enjoyed it. I added my fav tomatoes and would use this recepe again!!!!!
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FAQs
Spanakopita is a delicious savory Greek pie made of perfectly crispy layers of phyllo dough and a comforting filling of spinach and feta cheese. I'm sharing my family's favorite spanakopita recipe, complete with tips, video, and step-by-step photos.
Why is my spanakopita soggy on the bottom? ›
Why is my spanakopita soggy? The main two reason for soggy spanakopita is the spinach or the ricotta cheese. Spinach must be well wilted.
Why is spanakopita so good? ›
In my Spanakopita recipe, I love using a mix of feta and kefalotiri, scallions, dill, and mint. The salty, briny, and aromatic flavors make this pie incredibly delicious. In Greece, you can find Spanakopita in windows of street-side coffee shops and bakeries and more refined versions on restaurant menus.
What are the ingredients in Costco spanakopita? ›
Spinach, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), feta cheese (milk, cream, milk protein concentrate, microbial enzyme, salt, calcium chloride, lactic acid, bacterial culture, cellulose), water, canola oil, egg, onion, modified corn starch, contains 2% or less: butter ( ...
How healthy is spanakopita? ›
Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie typically containing cheese such as feta and/or ricotta. Our version is low in calories while high in fibre, iron and calcium. It's also diabetes-friendly and suitable for vegetarians.
What do you serve with spanakopita? ›
The best side dishes to serve with Spanakopita are Greek salad, Tzatziki, hummus, Greek yogurt, cheese dip, southwest salad dressing, falafel, roasted vegetables, lemon roasted potatoes, Greek rice, Mediterranean quinoa salad, and orzo salad.
Is puff pastry the same as phyllo dough? ›
The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily.
How do you keep spanakopita crispy? ›
Place on a parchment-lined sheet tray, and brush the tops with more melted butter. Bake at 375° until golden brown and crisp.
Can you eat spanakopita the next day? ›
The Spanakopita can be made ahead and left in the refrigerator, covered, for a day, then baked when you're ready. Or you can make it ahead and fully bake it, let it cool completely, and refrigerate. Then when you're ready to serve just reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through.
What is the difference between spanakopita and tiropita? ›
What Is Tiropita? Like spanakopia, tiropita is also a savory Greek pie that's wrapped in a phyllo crust, but its filling is different than spanakopita. Instead of spinach, herbs, and feta, tiropita is filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs.
Spanakopita (/ˌspænəˈkɒpɪtə, ˌspɑː-, -ˈkoʊ-/; Greek: σπανακόπιτα, from σπανάκι spanáki 'spinach', and πίτα píta 'pie') is a Greek savory spinach pie.
Is it better to freeze spanakopita cooked or uncooked? ›
Freeze it before baking. It won't lose nearly as much flavor or texture this way, as the dish won't be cooked twice. Just assemble the spanakopita, wrap it in one layer or storage wrap and one layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge and cook according to the recipe.
Where is Aldi spanakopita made? ›
Aldi's $7 Greek treat the 'best kept secret'
“I'm going to share a little secret with you, and it's this spanakopita from Aldi and it's made in Greece,” Merna said in the clip. “Honestly, this is Aldi's best kept secret. I usually hoard boxes of these.
Does Costco still carry spanakopita? ›
Cuisine Adventures All Natural Spanakopita, 48 ct | Costco.
What is the difference between spanakopita and burek? ›
Turkish borek and Greek spanakopita come from the same family of pastry. However, the two often differ in preparation and texture, with Greek spanakopita often having a flakier, puffier crust. Is it burek or borek? Both spellings of this pastry are technically correct, depending on the country.
What is spinach fatayer made of? ›
To make them, you simply fill an easy yeasted dough with spiced spinach and onions and fold into rustic triangles. These savory pies freeze very well, so you can make a big batch ahead of holiday parties, or for a more general meal prep.
What's the difference between spanakopita and tiropita? ›
The difference between a spanakopita and tiropita is that spanakopita includes spinach and feta (sometimes only spinach) whereas tiropita only has cheese in its filling. And while it is a popular street-food it is also a popular dish people make at home.
What is Greek pastry made of? ›
Phyllo dough includes only flour, water, vinegar, and a little oil. The fine sheets of pastry dough result in a crispy, crackly effect when layered and baked. When brushed with butter and stacked, they form a flaky crust that is essential for Middle Eastern desserts like baklava and Greek dishes like spanakopita.
What is the difference between puff pastry and phyllo spanakopita? ›
Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily. The fine sheets of pastry dough create a crispy, crackly effect when layered and baked.