Spanakopita#

Makes One 9×13-inch pie, about 6–8 servings Time About 1½ hours, plus 15–20 minutes resting

A spinach and feta pie with homemade rustic phyllo, green onion, garlic, dill, and parsley. Drying the spinach well is the key to a crisp crust.

Ingredients#

Rustic phyllo#

Use the Rustic Greek Phyllo Dough (Horiatiko Filo) recipe. Make eight strips; use four on the bottom and four on top. Roll the bottom strips slightly longer than the top strips so they extend past the pan edges and fold over the top.

Spinach-feta filling#

Directions#

Step 1 - Make the Phyllo#

Prepare the rustic phyllo dough through rolling. Keep the strips covered while you make the filling.

Step 2 - Cook and Dry the Spinach#

For fresh spinach, heat the 25 g olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the green onions for about 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add spinach in batches. Cook until completely wilted.

For frozen spinach, thaw it and squeeze it very dry. Sauté the green onions in the oil for about 2 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then mix them with the spinach.

Let the mixture cool, then squeeze or drain off any remaining liquid. A wet filling can make the homemade crust soggy.

Step 3 - Mix the Filling#

Stir the feta, eggs, dill, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, and black pepper into the cooled spinach. Taste before adding salt; the feta may provide enough.

Step 4 - Assemble the Pie#

Heat the oven to 375°F. Generously oil a 9×13-inch baking dish. Roll the four bottom phyllo strips slightly longer than the top strips. Lay them across the bottom, slightly overlapping and extending past the pan edges. Brush the strips lightly with olive oil, especially at the overlaps.

Spread the filling evenly over the pastry. Lay the remaining four strips over the top, slightly overlapping and brushing generously with olive oil. Fold the overhanging bottom pastry inward around the edges. Rustic folds and wrinkles are fine. Brush the top and edges with olive oil, then score the top into portions, cutting through the pastry without needing to cut through the filling.

Spinach and feta filling spread in the pastry-lined pan

Overlapping phyllo strips lining the pan

Phyllo strips layered over the filling

Oiled top scored before baking

Step 5 - Bake and Rest#

Bake at 375°F for 45–55 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and crisp. Rest for 15–20 minutes, then cut through the score lines and serve.

The baked spanakopita