spanakopita
Components:
Regarding the Filling:
- One pound (450 grams) of freshly washed and chopped spinach (or ten ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
- One little onion, chopped finely
- a trio of finely chopped green onions
- Two tsp olive oil
- two minced cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried dill)
- Two tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley
- 8 oz (225g) of crumbled feta cheese
- Two big eggs, whisked just enough
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, ground
- To taste, add salt and pepper.
Regarding the Phyllo Dough:
- Ten to twelve thawed sheets of homemade or store-bought phyllo dough
- Melted butter (1/2 cup; 115g) or olive oil (for brushing)
Guidelines:
Warm up the oven:
- Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Apply butter or olive oil to a baking dish measuring 9 by 13 inches or comparable in size.
Get the spinach filling ready.
- In a big skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the green onions and diced onion, and sauté for 3–4 minutes, or until the onions become tender.
- Cook for a further minute after adding the minced garlic.
- If using fresh spinach, stir it in and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until it wilts. If you’re using frozen spinach, just toss it into the skillet to reheat it. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
- Take the spinach from the stove and allow it to cool slightly.
- The cooked spinach mixture, feta cheese crumbles, parsley, dill, and beaten eggs should all be combined in a big bowl. Toss to blend well.
Put the Spanakopita together:
- Line the bottom of the baking dish with one sheet of phyllo dough and lightly brush with melted butter (or olive oil). Continue by layering five or six more phyllo sheets, coating each one with butter. As you work, make sure to keep the phyllo covered with a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out.
- Evenly distribute the filling of spinach and feta over the phyllo layers.
- After coating the filling with butter, place a second sheet of phyllo dough over it. Repeat with the remaining three to four phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with butter.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- To facilitate cutting after baking, score the top layer of phyllo into squares or diamonds with a sharp knife.
- The phyllo should become crispy and golden brown after 40 to 45 minutes of baking the spanakopita in a preheated oven.
Serve:
- Before cutting along the scored lines, let the spanakopita to cool slightly. Heat or serve room temperature.
Advice:
- Prepare Ahead: The spanakopita can be put together a few hours in advance and refrigerated until baking time. As an alternative, you may freeze the unbaked pie and bake it straight from frozen, although this would require more baking time.
- Phyllo Tips: To protect the phyllo dough from drying out and breaking, handle it gently and cover it with a damp cloth.
Per-serving Nutritional Information:
- 280 kcal of calories
- 20g of total fat
- Ten grams of saturated fat
- 90 mg of cholesterol
- 520 milligrams of sodium
- 20g of total carbohydrates
- dietary fiber: two grams
- Sugars: two grams
- 8g of protein
Flaky and savory, this Spanakopita is a great side dish, appetizer, or even light vegetarian dinner. Savor the fusion of crispy phyllo, creamy feta, and soft spinach!