Greek Spring Recipe: Spanakopita

Spending all this time at home is the perfect excuse to try out a new recipe! Spanakopita is a Greek favorite that uses spinach, feta and fresh herbs to create a flaky and flavorful pastry for the spring season. We hope you have a chance to make the recipe below, courtesy of Dimitra’s Dishes.

Spanakopita: Greek Spinach Pie (Dimitra’s Dishes) – serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 pack phyllo pastry, at room temperature
• 1 pound baby spinach, chopped
• 2 bunches fresh dill, finely chopped or 3 heaping teaspoons dried dill
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese, full fat and at room temperature
• 1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 eggs, beaten and at room temperature
• 2 cups olive oil, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• Baking tray dimensions used for this recipe: 18″ x 13″ x 1″

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the chopped spinach, dill, scallions, ricotta, and feta cheese in a large bowl and using your very clean hands, mix very well. Knead it, crush it and keep mixing until everything is combined.
3. Taste the mixture and add as much salt and pepper as you like.
4. Add the beaten eggs and about 1 cup of olive oil and mix well.
5. Grease the baking sheet with oil. 
6. Lay 3 sheets of phyllo on the bottom of the pan and drizzle with a little olive oil.
7. ​Place 2 sheets of phyllo half in the pan and half hanging outside of the pan on all four sides of the ​pan. See the ​video in the recipe link above.
8. Spread all of the filling inside of the phyllo sheets. All of the sheets that are hanging outside of the pan should go over the filling.
9. ​Drizzle some olive oil all over the phyllo. Cover half of the pie with 2 sheets of phyllo, tucking them under and repeat the same with the other side of the pie. 
10. Take the remaining phyllo sheets one at a time and crumble them in rows on top of the pie. Drizzling all the remaining olive oil on top of them. This will create a crisp, light crust.
11. ​Using a very sharp knife cut the pie into 12 equal slices.
12. ​Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour. The pie will be crisp and golden brown.
13. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving. This will allow the filling to set. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe and image link: Spanakopita: Greek Spinach Pie (Dimitra’s Dishes)

---