🥬 Spanakopita – Greek spinach and feta cheese pie – a flaky, golden Mediterranean delight, filled with creamy feta and fresh spinach! 🇬🇷🥧
🌟 Nutritional Benefits: Spinach is rich in vitamins A, C, K, folate, and iron, supporting immune function and reducing oxidative stress. Feta cheese adds calcium and protein, promoting bone health.
💡 Quick Tip: Add fresh dill or green onions to the filling for an extra burst of flavor! 🌿
📌 Serving Suggestion: Serve warm with a fresh tomato and cucumber salad or a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner! 🍅🥒
💡 Explore more Mediterranean-inspired recipes: Appetizers.
🔗 Read more: Discover the health benefits of spinach in this article: Spinach: Nutrition and health benefits – Medical News Today
Spanakopita – crispy Greek pie with spinach and feta cheese
Dough
Filling
Dough preparation method
Prepare a large baking tray (approx. 35 x 40 cm) and grease it with oil.
Place all the ingredients for the dough, except the butter, in a large bowl. Mix them well by hand until a smooth dough forms. Knead the dough by hand for about 3 minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth. Transfer the dough onto a silicone mat or a lightly floured surface. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt it over low heat or in the microwave, then transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, then divide each portion into 5 equal pieces to form 10 balls (approx. 160 g each). Keep 5 of the portions covered to prevent drying. Roll out the 5 portions of dough on a lightly floured surface or non-stick silicone mat into circles (approx. 15 cm each). Brush 4 of the circles generously with melted butter, then stack them on top of each other, finishing with the 5th circle (the one without butter) on top.
Roll out the stacked circles into one large, thin rectangle. Place the first sheet of dough in the prepared baking tray. Repeat the process with the remaining dough portions for the top layer, when needed.
Filling
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a large bowl, place the spinach and add the salt.
Finely chop the onion using a knife or food processor, then add it to the spinach. Mix the spinach and onion well to combine.
Place the feta cheese and the egg in a bowl and mix with a fork or gently mash until small crumbles form.
Place ⅓ of the spinach mixture over the dough in the tray, sprinkle with ⅓ of the feta mixture, and repeat with two more layers of spinach and feta. Cover with the second thinly rolled-out sheet of dough, score the top layer into 25 portions, and brush with the remaining melted butter.
Bake for 45–50 minutes at 180°C (356°F), or until golden and crispy.
