Lunch / Dinner
Spanakopita
Spinach has never tasted so good! It must have something to do with the feta and fennel mixed in and the flaky layers of phyllo. Featuring an almost addictive mixture of spinach and feta layered between tissue-thin sheets of phyllo dough, spanakopita [span-uh-KOH-pih-tuh] is a savory Greek pie that’s worth a try.
Although phyllo dough has a reputation for being tricky to work with, the sheets just simply lay flat in this recipe, so you shouldn’t run into trouble. Brush each sheet very lightly with olive oil and stack them to form both the bottom and top crust. Once baked, the delicate sheets become wonderfully flaky, crisp layers.
Ingredients
SWEAT:
CUT:
WHISK:
Test Kitchen Tips
Be sure to thaw phyllo dough before using it. Then, to ensure the sheets don’t dry out as you work, place a sheet of parchment paper over them and top with a damp towel.
If steam doesn’t have a way of escaping, the bottom crust will turn out soggy. This is a simple matter of cutting slits into the top of the dish before baking.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Brush bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish with olive oil.
Sweat onion, scallions, and fennel in 3 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium heat, covered, until translucent, 10–15 minutes. Stir in spinach, parsley, and dill; cover. Allow spinach to warm through.
Drain spinach mixture and squeeze dry, in batches, in a towel. Allow mixture to cool.
Cut stack of phyllo sheets into an 8-inch square. Combine spinach mixture, 2 eggs, feta, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
Layer 10 sheets of phyllo dough in prepared dish, brushing each sheet lightly with some of the remaining 4 Tbsp. oil. Top phyllo with spinach mixture. Layer remaining phyllo over spinach mixture, brushing each sheet lightly with oil.
Whisk together egg yolk and milk; brush on top sheet of phyllo. Using a knife, cut evenly spaced 1-inch slits in phyllo layers down to the filling.
Bake spanakopita 30–35 minutes; serve hot or at room temperature.
To ensure your spanakopita isn’t soggy, squeeze the spinach mixture dry in a kitchen towel.
For crispy layers, very lightly brush each layer of phyllo with a small amount of olive oil.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 50mg 16%
Sodium 322mg 13%
Carbs 13g 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 7g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.