Spanakopita

in Appetizers, Veggies

Spanakopita

It’s funny how taste buds “age.” When I was a child, you couldn’t get me to eat corn (unless it was on the cob) or spinach (in any form) for all the Barbies and My Little Ponies in the world. I remember cutting a hole in the upholstery of my chair at the dinner table and using it to stash unwanted spinach and new potatoes. Boy, did I get in trouble for that!

These days, I voluntarily eat spinach. It’s one of my favorite greens for a salad, it’s great on sandwiches and in ravioli, and stirring a handful of rough-chopped fresh spinach leaves into Fettuccine Alfredo at the last minute is a great way to get a dose of Vitamins A and C. It also has some magical compound that is highly attracted to the enamel of my front teeth.

One of my favorite ways to eat spinach is in individual servings of Greek spinach pie, or Spanakopita, with a chilly blob of tzatziki sauce. It also makes a nice savory addition to an hors d’oeuvre buffet.

Spanakopita

A lightened version of the Greek favorite.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup egg beaters, lightly beaten (or two eggs)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pkg phyllo dough
  • 6 oz Smart Balance butter, melted (or use regular butter)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened.
  3. Mix in spinach, dill and flour. Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
  4. Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.
  5. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough flat and brush with butter, repeat with 2 more sheets.
  6. Place a small amount of spinach mixture onto each piece of dough.
  7. Fold phyllo into triangles around the mixture. Brush with butter.
  8. Place spanakopita on a baking sheet and bake for approx 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

Yields: ~15 triangles

Adapted from All Recipes

Estimated time: 40 minutes

10 comments… add one
  • Those parcels look so gooood. Thanks for the recipe. I love spinach and am always looking for new ways to cook it. Your Spanakopita is a winner.

  • I always adore and adored spinach, that look great. Thanks for participatin this round of WHB

  • I just adore this! I have a Greek friend who showed me how to make it once, but I haven’t attempted it myself, so I’m very impressed. And now I’m realizing I wrote the name of your blog wrong in my recap, so I apologize and I will fix it right away!

  • Deborah

    This looks fabulous! I’ll have to try it out.

  • I don’t believe your “phyllo is fun sentiment, even as a greek! 🙂 but I do love making spanakopitas with puff pastry. Gives them that extra flakiness (oh and ease of assesmbly!)

  • Renea

    I’ve never had those before but they look awesome! It sounds like something I would like.

  • oh yum! I love spanakopita… will definitely have to try it 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!

  • I love love love Spanikopita and Tzatziki! I have seen tzatziki mentioned on foodie blogrolls about 3 times this week! I am in heaven! I am also posting about Tzatziki this week! LOL!

  • You have gotten to be a pro with Phyllo! Spanakopita is the bomb! It looks so complicated but is not at all. The recipe I use has cottage cheese in addition to the feta. 🙂

    And, thanks for referncing my (and Giada’s) Cigars! 🙂

  • I love spinach and tried spinakopita once and again. So I will try your recipe, definitely more than once. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂

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