Print

Spanakopita

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Authentic traditionl  Greek spanakopita made with fresh spinach, herbs and crispy phyllo. 

Ingredients

Units Scale

a. The phyllo

  • 180 g all-purpose floor
  • 3 tsp EVOO
  • 1,5 tsp vinegar
  • 80 ml water
  • 1 tsp salt

b. the filling

  • 300 g fresh spinach washed, drained and chopped
  • 100 g feta or manouri cheese
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 big leek, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp dill finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp spearmint, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp bulgur (or semolina or rice)
  • 3 tbsp EVOO plus more for brushing
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough. Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use your hand or a whisk to combine them evenly. Make a well in the center — this will hold your wet ingredients and make it easier to bring the dough together later.
  2. Pour the vinegar and olive oil into the well. Then, start adding about 50 ml of water, a little at a time.
  3. Begin mixing the ingredients using your hand, drawing flour from the sides of the bowl into the wet center. You’ll start to see the dough forming small clumps.
  4. Keep mixing until the dough starts to come together.
  5. If it looks dry or crumbly, add a few drops of water at a time — don’t rush! Mix and check the texture before adding more. If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour (about ½ teaspoon at a time) and knead again.
  6. The goal is a dough that feels soft, smooth, and elastic, like play-doh. The exact amount of water you’ll need depends on several factors — the brand of flour, air humidity, and room temperature — so don’t worry if you need slightly more or less water than the recipe suggests.
  7. Once the dough has come together, transfer it to a clean surface.
  8. Now comes my favorite part — kneading. Treat the dough like a stress ball. Squeeze it, press it, fold it — gently but with purpose. You’re not fighting it; you’re helping it relax. Use the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you, then fold it back, give it a quarter turn, and repeat. Keep going for about 5 minutes. You’ll notice it change under your hands — from rough and sticky to soft, smooth, and a little springy. That’s your cue to stop.
  9. Once your dough feels perfect, shape it into a ball. Cut it into 5 equal pieces and lightly brush each one with a touch of olive oil to prevent drying.
  10. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and – if possible – let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This rest helps the gluten to make the dough much easier to roll
  11. Prepare the filling. Place the chopped spinach in a strainer, salt generously, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
  12. Add the leeks and squeeze again for 2-3 minutes.
  13. Add the spinach and leeks in a large bowl, mix tand add the onions, spring onions, herbs, bulgur, and pepper (no salt is needed since we have salted the spinach). Add the  cheese – crumbled – and the olive oil. Stir until well combined.
  14. Roll out the dough. Prepare your workspace. Lightly flour your counter. Keep extra flour nearby. Take one dough ball and flatten it first into a small disc (around 10 cm). Sprinkle both sides of the disc with flour.
  15. Roll it out. Start rolling from the center outward, rotating the dough as you go. When it gets wider, sprinkle with flour,  wrap one edge around the pin and roll it forward and backward to stretch. Unroll, rotate, dust lightly, repeat. 
  16. Continue until it’s paper-thin and almost transparent — you should just see your hand through it. 
  17. Use the sheets immediately or stack them with a dusting of flour between each and a towel on top to keep them from drying out.
  18. Assemble. Layer three sheets of phyllo in the pan, brushing each one with olive oil.
  19. Spread the filling evenly over the third sheet.
  20. Cover with the remaining two phyllo sheets, brushing each with olive oil.
  21. Roll up the overhanging edges to form a rim and score the top lightly with a sharp knife.
  22. Brush the top generously with olive oil and precut in pieces
  23. Bake the spanakopita. Place the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp.
  24. Rest before serving — let the pie sit for about 10–15 minutes before cutting.

Find it online: https://cookinathensrecipes.com/traditional-greek-spanakopita-phyllo-scatch/