Spanakopita, a traditional Greek dish, is a delicious and versatile pastry made with layers of phyllo dough filled with a mixture of spinach, feta cheese, and herbs. This savory pie is often served as an appetizer or main course and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Variations of spanakopita include the addition of other vegetables, such as onions, leeks, or zucchini, as well as different types of cheese, such as ricotta or mozzarella. The phyllo dough can be homemade or store-bought, and the filling can be adjusted to suit personal preferences. This article provides two recipes for spanakopita: a classic spanakopita and a vegan spanakopita. The classic spanakopita features a traditional filling of spinach, feta, and herbs, while the vegan spanakopita uses tofu and vegan cheese as substitutes for the dairy products. Both recipes include step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure a perfect spanakopita every time. So, whether you are a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this article has everything you need to make this delectable dish at home.
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SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)
This is an authentic, really rich pie stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses and herbs that are all enfolded by crispy, flaky phyllo dough.
Provided by SILVERWOLF
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Greek
Time 1h30m
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 494.1 calories, Carbohydrate 31.5 g, Cholesterol 100.3 mg, Fat 34.7 g, Fiber 7.4 g, Protein 18.2 g, SaturatedFat 11.5 g, Sodium 893.9 mg, Sugar 5.4 g
SPANAKOPITA
Greek spinach pie.
Provided by Bea Gassman
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Greek
Time 1h50m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Place spinach in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain and press to remove all water. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until tender, but do not brown. Stir in cooked spinach and continue cooking until all moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl combine feta cheese, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley and cinnamon. Stir in spinach and onion mixture.
- Brush the bottom of a 17x11 inch jelly roll pan with butter. Place 1 sheet of dough in the bottom of the pan; brush with butter. Continue to layer 13 more sheets of dough, brushing every other sheet with butter. Spread spinach and cheese mixture over dough. Continue layering with remaining dough, brushing every other sheet with butter. Tuck edges of dough under. Brush top sheet with butter and, using a sharp knife, score top layer into diamonds.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 496.1 calories, Carbohydrate 31.1 g, Cholesterol 125.2 mg, Fat 34.5 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 17.2 g, SaturatedFat 20 g, Sodium 816 mg, Sugar 3.2 g
SPANOKOPITA
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the scallions. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the scallions, dill, eggs, feta, salt, and pepper and mix together.
- Keep the phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel. Unfold 1 sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs until all 10 sheets have been used. Spoon 3/4 cup of the spinach mixture into a sausage shape along one edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up. Brush the top with butter and score the roll into 1-inch rounds. Place it on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all the pastry and filling have been used.
- Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm.
EASY SPANAKOPITA APPETIZERS
I love having appetizers on hand in the freezer, especially when the holiday season is fast approaching. This easy spanakopita recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Everyone loves them, they're easy to prep and they bake up in about 20 minutes. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 1h
Yield 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 2 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Arrange 3/4 cup spinach mixture in a narrow row along the long end of phyllo to within 1 in. of edges. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then roll up. Brush end of phyllo dough with butter and press to seal. Repeat 4 times with phyllo sheets, butter and the spinach mixture. Place rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, seam side down., Cut rolls diagonally into 2-in. pieces (do not separate). Brush tops with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. If desired, serve with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges and dill sprigs. , Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer container; return to freezer. To use, bake rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 375° oven until heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 96 calories, Fat 8g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 29mg cholesterol, Sodium 155mg sodium, Carbohydrate 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
SPANAKOPITA
Spinach and Feta Phyllo Triangles
Categories Cheese Leafy Green Appetizer Bake Vegetarian Phyllo/Puff Pastry Dough Pastry Gourmet Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 30 pastries
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook spinach, stirring, until wilted and tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool, about 10 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and stir in feta, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Melt remaining 1 stick butter in a small saucepan, then cool.
- Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel.
- Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keeping remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with more butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack crosswise into 6 (roughly 12- by 2 3/4-inch) strips.
- Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangle shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on a large baking sheet and brush top with butter. Make more triangles in same manner, using all of phyllo.
- Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.
Tips:
- Use the right filo dough: Filo dough is a thin, delicate dough that is used to make spanakopita. It is important to use fresh filo dough that is not too dry or brittle. If the filo dough is too dry, it will break easily when you are folding it. If the filo dough is too brittle, it will not be able to hold the filling properly.
- Prepare the spinach properly: Before you add the spinach to the filling, it is important to wilt it. This will help to remove excess moisture from the spinach and prevent the spanakopita from becoming soggy. To wilt the spinach, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Use a flavorful cheese blend: The cheese blend that you use for the filling is important for the overall flavor of the spanakopita. A good cheese blend will include a combination of hard and soft cheeses, such as feta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. You can also add other cheeses, such as ricotta or cottage cheese, to the filling for a richer flavor.
- Fold the spanakopita carefully: When you are folding the spanakopita, it is important to do so carefully to prevent the filo dough from tearing. Start by folding the bottom edge of the filo dough up over the filling. Then, fold the left and right sides of the filo dough over the filling. Finally, fold the top edge of the filo dough down over the filling. Brush the top of the spanakopita with melted butter or olive oil before baking.
- Bake the spanakopita until it is golden brown: The spanakopita should be baked until the filo dough is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. This will usually take about 30 minutes.
Conclusion:
Spanakopita is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is a great way to use up leftover spinach and feta cheese. With a little planning and effort, you can make a delicious spanakopita that everyone will love.
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