**Spanakopita: A Culinary Journey Through Greece**
Spanakopita, a traditional Greek dish, is a delectable pastry that captures the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. This savory dish is renowned for its flaky phyllo pastry enveloping a flavorful filling of spinach, feta cheese, onions, and herbs. Spanakopita holds a special place in Greek culture, often served during festivals, gatherings, and as a delightful everyday meal.
This versatile dish can be enjoyed in various forms, from individual triangles to a majestic pie. Whether you prefer the crispy edges of the triangles or the golden-brown crust of the pie, spanakopita offers a symphony of textures and flavors.
This article presents a comprehensive guide to crafting the perfect spanakopita, featuring two distinct recipes: the classic Spanakopita Triangles and the majestic Spanakopita Pie. Both recipes provide step-by-step instructions, ensuring success for home cooks of all skill levels.
The Spanakopita Triangles offer a delightful bite-sized experience, perfect for parties and gatherings. With a crispy phyllo pastry exterior and a succulent spinach and feta filling, these triangles are sure to tantalize taste buds.
For those seeking a more substantial meal, the Spanakopita Pie emerges as a culinary masterpiece. This majestic pie features a golden-brown crust encasing a generous filling of spinach, feta, onions, and herbs. Perfect for a family dinner or a special occasion, this pie is a true testament to the culinary heritage of Greece.
So, embark on a culinary journey through Greece with these two spanakopita recipes. From the delectable triangles to the majestic pie, these recipes promise an explosion of flavors and textures that will leave you craving for more.
EASY SPANAKOPITA TRIANGLES (MINI GREEK SPINACH PIES)
These Easy Spanakopita Triangles are traditionally served as a Greek appetizer or snack. Mini spinach pies made with feta cheese, ricotta cheese and spinach leaves wrapped in flaky, buttery phyllo dough.
Provided by Aleka Shunk
Categories Appetizer
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 375° F.
- Saute your chopped onion in a skillet with 2 tbsp of butter for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
- If using fresh spinach, add it to your onions and saute for another 5 minutes or until the leaves are wilted down and water is fully evaporated. Take off heat.
- If using frozen spinach, make sure it is fully thawed. (A microwave can help do this quickly.)*There is a lot of excess water in frozen spinach so make sure to drain it very well. Take a few paper towels or a dish cloth and squeeze out any excess water. You do not want a watery filling!
- Add drained/cooled spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, salt, onions, lemon juice, dill and garlic powder to a medium sized bowl and mix.
- Melt your butter in a saucepan or in a small bowl using your microwave. Scramble your egg in another bowl.
- Pull out your defrosted phyllo dough and lay one sheet down on the table.Make sure to cover your phyllo dough with a slightly damp dishtowel so it does not dry out!
- Carefully brush one sheet of phyllo dough lightly with butter. Add another layer of dough and brush again. You should have two buttered layers.
- Cut your phyllo dough into thirds lengthwise. Add 1½ - 2 tbsp of filling to the bottom of each strip of phyllo dough.
- Begin folding from the bottom up. You will want to maintain a right triangle. Continue folding the triangle upward until you reach the top. (See photos.) You should end up with 24 triangles.Brush your egg wash generously over the top and sides of your triangles and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat until finished. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you prefer.°
- Bake in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes or until your dough turns golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 72 kcal, Fat 5.1 g, SaturatedFat 3.1 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Sodium 168 mg, Carbohydrate 4.7 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 2 g, Sugar 0.4 g, ServingSize 1 serving
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.
SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH PIE)
Provided by Food Network
Yield 7 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium heated saute pan, add butter (all except 6 tablespoons), onion, and scallion. Cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a sauce pot, boil spinach in water until tender. Strain and pat dry until all water is out. In a large mixing bowl, mix spinach, onion-scallion mixture, parsley and dill together. Add cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add back into sauce pot and boil for five minutes. Place aside.
- Moisten filo dough one by one with the remaining butter (melted) with pastry brush. In a baking pan, add five layers of dough to bottom. Next, add spinach mixture. Spread evenly. Add another five layers of dough on top, tucking in corners. Place in oven and bake for approximately one hour.
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
Tips:
- Choose fresh spinach: Fresh spinach has a brighter green color and is more flavorful than wilted or frozen spinach.
- Squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach: This will help prevent the spanakopita from becoming soggy.
- Use a variety of cheeses: A combination of feta, ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses gives the spanakopita a complex and flavorful filling.
- Don't overstuff the spanakopita: The filling should be evenly distributed throughout the pastry, but not so much that it bursts out when you bake it.
- Bake the spanakopita until it's golden brown: This will ensure that the pastry is cooked through and the filling is hot and bubbly.
Conclusion:
Spanakopita is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It's also a great way to use up leftover spinach. With so many different variations, there's sure to be a spanakopita recipe that everyone will enjoy.
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