Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
by Tavolino
A traditional Greek savory pie featuring a crispy, buttery filo pastry crust filled with a fresh, flavorful mixture of raw spinach, feta cheese, herbs, and aromatic spices.
Ingredients
- Fresh spinach 300 g
- Salt (for sweating) 3 g
- Greek feta 175 g
- Greek yoghurt 120 g
- Green onions 2
- Egg 1
- Fresh mint 2 EL
- Fresh dill 1 EL
- Lemon zest 0.5 TL
- Lemon juice 0.5 EL
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Nutmeg 0.5 TL
- Black pepper 0.25 TL
- Salt (for filling) 0.25 TL
- Cayenne pepper 0.25 TL
- Filo pastry 16 sheets
- Butter 120 g
- Kefalotyri cheese 60 g
- White sesame seeds 0.5 TL
- Black sesame seeds 0.5 TL
Preparation
- 1
Preheat oven to 220°C (fan 200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- 2
Place 300 g spinach in a bowl, sprinkle with 3 g salt, and toss. Let it sit for 10 minutes to sweat.
- 3
Take handfuls of spinach and wring out tightly in a tea towel to remove excess water.
- 4
Combine spinach with 175 g feta, 120 g yoghurt, 2 green onions, 1 egg, 2 EL mint, 1 EL dill, 0.5 TL lemon zest, 0.5 EL lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, 0.5 TL nutmeg, 0.25 TL pepper, 0.25 TL salt, 0.25 TL cayenne.
- 5
Cut 16 sheets of filo pastry to fit your baking tray.
- 6
Layer 8 sheets of filo on the tray, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
- 7
Spread the spinach filling over the filo base, leaving a 2.5 cm border.
- 8
Place a sheet of filo over the filling, brush with butter, and sprinkle with some of the 60 g Kefalotyri.
- 9
Repeat this layering process for filo sheets #2 to #5.
- 10
Add the final 3 sheets (#6-#8) on top, brushing each with butter, but do not add cheese between these layers.
- 11
Press the edges down to seal the pie.
- 12
Brush the top with remaining butter and sprinkle with 0.5 TL white and 0.5 TL black sesame seeds.
- 13
Bake for 25 minutes until the surface is golden brown. Serve immediately.