Spanakopita Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie
Spanakopita Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie! If you’ve never made this Greek spinach pie, then you’re in for a huge treat! In this recipe, I show you how to make your own filo pastry which is really easy to make. The filling is made up of yummy ingredients like leek, feta cheese, and lots of spinach. Once it’s all put together and baked, you’re left with a yummy cheese pie that is the perfect lunch or dinner treat. And it freezes so well too!
Table of Contents
Nick’s favorite thing…
Picture a hearty, peasant-style pie in a small village in Greece with the sweet flavors of leek and spring onion, the perfect balance of salty but tasty. In this recipe, I’ll be teaching you just how to make the classic Greek spinach and cheese pie called Spanakopita. Literally translating to spinach pie.
What does Spanakopita Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie taste like?
The flaky filo pastry is easy to make and hearty but not heavy. The filling has a delicious combination of flavors like dill, salty feta, sweet leek, and spring onion, and delicious spinach. All topped with more filo pastry and sesame seeds for good measure!
What are the ingredients I need?
All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.
Salt – I used fine salt.
Olive oil – Use a really good quality olive oil for best flavor results.
White wine vinegar – alternatively you can use regular white vinegar.
Butter – I used unsalted butter.
Leek – Use only the white part.
Spring onion – Thinly sliced. Ensure when cooking the leek and onion that you cook on medium heat. The aim here it to sweat it, not caramelize it.
Feta – use a good quality feta.
Eggs – I used large eggs.
Ricotta – Use regular ricotta. Full fat or low fat is fine.
Let’s go through each step.
Filo Pastry
- Combine the melted butter and oil together. Set aside. To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, oil, vinegar and warm water.
- Use a spoon to mix until a dough forms.
- Dust your workbench with flour and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until smooth.
- Wrap in plastic and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Unwrap the dough and use a knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 even sized pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out to about 20cm in diameter.
- Brush one piece of dough with some butter and oil mixture.
- Add a second piece of dough on top stretching it to the same size if you need to.
- Repeat this using six pieces of the dough
- Then pinch the outside of the dough to seal everything together. This will be the bottom of the spinach pie.
- Repeat the process with the remaining two piece of dough. Set aside in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Filling
- Add a little oil to a large, deep frypan on medium heat. Add the sliced leek and spring onion and cook until aromatic. About 2 minutes. Don’t let it brown.
- Add the spinach and place the lid on top.
- Allow to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the spinach cooks down. If there is any excess water, drain it from the spinach. Allow to cool.
- Add the spinach mixture to a mixing bowl along with the crumbled feta, eggs, and ricotta. Mix using a spoon until well combined.
To Assemble
- Take the chilled dough out of the fridge. Dust your workbench with flour and use a rolling pin to roll out just a little bigger than baking dish.
- Drape it over your rolling pin
- Then unroll over the baking dish.
- Use your hands to press to the bottom and corners of the dish.
- Fill with filling and spread out evenly.
- Roll out the second piece of dough to the size of the top of the pie. Place on top.
- Then fold over excess dough onto itself.
- Use a knife to gently score the top of the spanakopita.
- Brush with more butter and bake for 1 hour.
- Once baked allow to cool down for 15 minutes. Cut and serve.
My Top Tips!
Storage
Spanakopita can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
Freezing
Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two weeks. To reheat, simply place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Warm water temperature
You want it to be at about 40C / 105F.
Other Recipes You Might Like!
- Greek Slow Roasted Lamb
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Soft Pita Flat Bread Recipe
- Thick And Creamy Tzatziki Recipe
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I hope you guys enjoyed this simple but delicious Spanakopita Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie recipe with me. Please comment in the comments section below, or feel free to share with your family and friends on social media.
I’ll see you all on the following recipe. Happy baking!
N x
Spanakopita Greek Spinach & Cheese Pie
Serves 15
Ingredients
Filo Pastry
- 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup (190 ml) warm water (see notes)
Butter Mixture
- 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Filling
- 1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced
- 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 10 cups (280 g) spinach
- 4 tbsp ricotta
- 1 cup (200 g) feta, crumbled
- 3 eggs
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Filo Pastry
- Combined the melted butter and oil together. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, oil, vinegar and warm water. Use a spoon to mix until a dough forms. Dust your workbench with flour and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until smooth.Wrap in plastic and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Unwrap the dough and use a knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 even sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll out to about 20cm in diameter.
- Brush one piece of dough with some butter and oil mixture and add a second piece of dough on top stretching it to the same size if you need to. Repeat this using six pieces of the dough then pinch the outside of the dough to seal everything together. This will be the bottom of the spinach pie. Repeat the process with the remaining two piece of dough. Set aside in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Filling
- Add a little oil to a large, deep frypan on medium heat. Add the sliced leek and spring onion and cook until aromatic. About 2 minutes. Don’t let it brown. Add the spinach and place the lid on top.Allow to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the spinach cooks down.If there is any excess water, drain it from the spinach. Allow to cool.
- Add to a mixing bowl along with the crumbled feta, eggs, and ricotta. Mix using a spoon until well combined.
To Assemble
- Preheat your oven to 175C / 350F. Use a brush to lightly coat a baking dish about 30cm in size. Set aside.
- Take the chilled dough out of the fridge. Dust your workbench with flour and use a rolling pin to roll out just a little bigger than baking dish. Drape it over your rolling pin and then unroll over the baking dish. Use your hands to press to the bottom and corners of the dish.
- Fill with filling and spread out evenly. Roll out the second piece of dough to the size of the top of the pie. Place on top. Then fold over excess dough onto itself. Use a knife to gently score the top of the spanakopita. Brush with more butter and bake for 1 hour.
- Once baked allow to cool down for 15 minutes. Cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
