Spanakopita is one of the most famous Greek dishes and is easy to make. Often called Spinach and Cheese pie and a great vegetarian Greek dish this feta cheese pie recipe will be an instant family favourite.

This dish is one of Greece’s best known and is a family favourite around the world. It is considered one of Greece’s signature dishes and is found all over the country.

In ancient times people were fond of fets cheese pies wrapped in fig leaves and it is believed this may have been the inspiration for the many leaves of Filo pastry.

The original pies were likely made with wild greens foraged locally until the arrival of Spinach with the Byzantines from the Middle East .

8 pieces

Spanakopita ( Cheese and Spinach Pie)

Name: Spanakopita ( Cheese and Spinach Pie)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 kilo chopped spinach; 4 sliced leeks; 10 Springs Onions sliced; 1 bunch finely chopped dill; 1/2 cup finely chopped spearmint or mint; 1/2 cup olive oil; 350 grams crumbled or grated Feta cheese; 2 eggs; 3 tbsp cooked rice; 1 packet filo pastry; salt; pepper; nutmeg

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

In Greece, many people still make their own Filo pastry from flour, salt, water, and olive oil but there are very good commercially produced packets readily available in supermarkets and that is what is used in this recipe.

It is common to find a whole pie cut up into pieces, small individual wrapped triangular ( or rectangle) pies, or a circular pie made up of one long rolled casing. In this recipe, we do the standard whole pie.

Ingredients

1 kilo chopped spinach
4 sliced leeks
10 Springs Onions sliced
1 bunch finely chopped dill
1/2 cup finely chopped spearmint or mint
1/2 cup olive oil
350 grams crumbled or grated Feta cheese
2 eggs
3 tbsp cooked rice
1 packet filo pastry
salt
pepper
nutmeg

Instructions

clean, wash and chop the spinach
boil the leeks and spring onions in salted boiling water for 5 minutes
drain well
heat the oil and saute the onions and leeks
add the spinach, dill, mint, cheese, rice, and eggs and mix well over heat for 2 minutes
place two sheets of pastry in a pie dish or on a baking tray
Brush with olive oil, and two more sheets and repeat for 2/3rd of packet
spread the filling across
cover with two sheets of pastry, brush with oil and continue until all used
brush with oil and scour serving pieces in the pastry - this makes it easier to cut and gets rid of the steam when cooking
bake for about an hour at 200 degrees

Notes

An egg wash can be used to brush the pastry instead of oil

Some versions of Spanikopita have a variety of local cheeses added including goats cheese and Pecorino

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 10g