Spanakopita – spinach, onion, and herbed Feta cheese in between layers of Phyllo dough create a simple and scrumptious Greek dinner that you just’ll like to serve everybody.
Once we lived in Rhode Island, we grew to become extraordinarily shut buddies with a household throughout the road. It’s not typically that every member of the family will get together with each member of one other household. However that is the best way it was with my and Mary’s household. All of us had a rare bond, a lot in order that we grew to become household.
Sooner or later, with a three-year-old by my facet and a one-year-old on my hip, I answered the door and noticed a girl standing on our entrance steps with a wonderful three-year-old boy. She launched herself and her son and stated they’d bought the house throughout the road. They hadn’t moved in but and have been residing about 40 minutes away.
I invited her in, and we talked at size whereas the children performed fairly properly collectively. She stated she wasn’t feeling nicely, had lately discovered she was pregnant, and needed to lie down earlier than driving again residence. I made a decision I’d take the three youngsters to the playground down the road to offer her some peace and quiet.
Now, for those who’ve ever had a “intestine feeling” about somebody, or really feel such as you’ve identified an individual without end though you’ve already met them, then you understand what I’m speaking about. There was an instantaneous connection between our households, and Mary and I felt fully comfy with one another.
So comfy with one another, actually, that I allowed a stranger to relaxation in my residence with out me being there, and she or he allowed a stranger to take her son to the park! I do know it appears slightly weird, however neither of us had any considerations. There are some issues in life you “simply know.” And this was one in all them. Our first assembly all the time jogs my memory of a Bible verse:
“Don’t forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some individuals have entertained angels with out realizing it.”
Hebrews 13:2 (NIV 1984 ed.)
Sure, Mary was, and nonetheless is, an angel. Her household got here into our lives at precisely the proper time. All through the years, we shared many tears, an infinite quantity of laughter, and numerous hours taking part in playing cards after we had put the children to mattress. We are going to all cherish many reminiscences for the remainder of our lives
Each of our households moved away from the previous neighborhood, our children have grown up, married and moved away, and we don’t see one another daily as we did when the children have been little.
However there’s one factor that’s all the time sure, every time we do communicate of get collectively, it’s as if no time has handed. We are able to all the time decide up the place we left off.
Mary made this recipe typically and our household liked it instantly. I feel yours will, too.
To my “sister”, thanks not solely in your Spanakopita however for being you. I’m blessed to have you ever in my life, and can cherish our relationship all the time.
The place did Spanakopita come from?
Spanakopita, often known as Greek spinach pie, is a savory pie that has been a part of Greek delicacies for a really very long time. Additionally it is intently associated to the same Turkish dish referred to as ispanakli. Whereas the precise origins are tough to hint, most spanakopita recipes are derived from the northwest area of Greece. It’s a highly regarded dish in Greece and will be discovered all through the world in the present day!
Is Spanakopita served heat or chilly?
There are actually no guidelines as to tips on how to eat this scrumptious fundamental dish! You may serve it heat out of the oven, at room temperature, and even out of the fridge for leftovers!
What elements do I would like for this simple Spanakopita recipe?
Save your self lots of time and an enormous headache by buying pre-made phyllo sheet dough. Along with that, you’ll want the next elements:
- 2 16 oz packages of frozen spinach
- One very massive crimson onion
- Three 6-ounce packages of tomato and basil spiced feta cheese – if I can’t discover it, I exploit the Mediterranean mix which is simply as scrumptious.
- 1 cup plus two tablespoons olive oil
- 5 eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter, chilly (8 tablespoons)
Easy methods to make genuine Spanakopita
Preparation: Earlier than making this recipe, you must thaw your phyllo pastry dough and your spinach. Then, take away any extra moisture out of your spinach. Both put it right into a clear, damp towel and squeeze the water out, or you probably have a potato ricer, you possibly can place it in there and squeeze the surplus water out that approach. Don’t neglect to preheat the oven to 350 levels F!
Make the Spinach Filling: Warmth a big pot on the stovetop over medium-high warmth. Warmth 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add minced onion and sauté till gentle. Add the spinach and blend earlier than eradicating it from the warmth to chill.
Beat eggs in a big bowl. Add the remaining cup of olive oil and the crumbled feta cheese. Mix the cooled, cooked spinach combination with the egg combination.
Assemble: Use a pastry brush to unfold a small quantity of melted butter on the underside of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place three Phyllo sheets into the underside of the baking dish. Brush the highest of the dough generously however gently with melted butter. Repeat this course of till half of the phyllo dough is within the baking dish.
Unfold the spanakopita filling over the Phyllo dough. Place three sheets of Phyllo dough over the spinach combination and brush with melted butter. Proceed this course of till all of the dough is within the baking dish.
Bake: Butter the highest layers of dough and sprinkle a small quantity of chilly water on prime. Tuck within the edges of the phyllo dough, then place in preheated oven and bake for one hour or till the highest layer of dough is golden brown, and the filling is heated all through. Use a pointy knife to chop the spanakopita into triangles to serve.
TIP
Gently roll out the phyllo dough and place it onto a cookie sheet. Cowl with a humid tea towel to maintain it moist whilst you assemble the Spanakopita.
If items ought to tear or break aside, jut put them collectively as greatest you possibly can. It might be irritating whereas assembling, but it surely’s
like making a lasagna. It might not look good whilst you’re placing all the things collectively, however as soon as baked, it’s going to come out perfecty and nobody will ever know.
Can I exploit recent spinach on this recipe?
You should utilize recent spinach! Nonetheless, it have to be cooked and any extra liquid eliminated. 32 ounces of frozen spinach equals about 4 ½ kilos of recent spinach.
Can I substitute puff pastry for phyllo dough?
No, you must use the phyllo dough for this recipe.
Puff pastry dough and phyllo dough (or filo pastry dough) should not interchangeable. Puff pastry is laminated, which implies butter is folded into the dough to create skinny, ethereal layers. Phyllo dough may be very skinny, largely flour, water, and typically oil.
Why is my Spanakopita soggy?
The draw back of phyllo dough is that it will get soggy shortly. Leftovers are solely good for a day or so, even when stored in an hermetic container within the fridge. One of the simplest ways to reheat leftovers is within the oven because the microwave makes them soggy.
In the event you discover your spanakopita is soggy when baking it, you may have an excessive amount of liquid left in your spinach. Be sure to get rid of as a lot extra moisture as doable earlier than baking!
Can Spanakopita be made forward of time and frozen?
Sure, this spinach pie freezes very nicely! The secret is to freeze it earlier than baking. After layering the phyllo sheets and spinach filling, wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Place it within the freezer, labeled, and freeze it for as much as two months. While you’re able to bake it, uncover the dish and bake it for about an hour and quarter-hour. Test and bake extra ten minutes if not cooked by way of.
In the event you like this, you’ll love these recipes:
Attempt one in all these different scrumptious Greek-inspired recipes!
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Spanakopita
Spanakopita – spinach, onion, and herbed Feta cheese in between layers of Phyllo dough create a simple and scrumptious Greek dinner that you will like to serve everybody.
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 levels F.
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Warmth massive pot on range prime on medium excessive warmth. Put within the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add minced onion and sauté till gentle. Add spinach and blend collectively. Take away from warmth and put aside to chill.
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In a big bowl, beat eggs. Add remaining cup of olive oil and crumbled feta cheese. Mix cooled, cooked spinach combination with egg combination.
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Gently unroll the thawed phyllo dough and place it on a cookie sheet. Cowl with a humid tea towel to maintain it moist. If the items ought to break whereas making, no biggie, simply put collectively as greatest you possibly can. As soon as it is baked, nobody will have the ability to inform that it wasn’t fully good.
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Brush a small quantity of melted butter on backside of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place three items of Phyllo dough into the underside of the baking dish.
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Brush gently with melted butter (don’t be shy, however don’t overdo). Proceed with course of till half of the Phyllo dough is on the underside.
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Pour spinach combination over Phyllo dough.
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Place three items of Phyllo dough over combination and brush with butter. Proceed with Phyllo dough and butter. Butter prime layer and sprinkle a small quantity of chilly water on prime. Tuck in edges.
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Bake for 1 hour.
Notes
It’s VERY vital that you just squeeze out as a lot moisture from the spinach as doable. I normally do that with my fingers. An excessive amount of moisture and the dish received’t bake as nicely.
Diet
Energy: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fats: 35g | Saturated Fats: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 20g | Trans Fats: 0.4g | Ldl cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 11038IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg
*that is an up to date submit in each format and with photos. The earlier submit was revealed as Day 48 as my unique 365 Days of Baking. It was republished on 11/3/15, and once more on 2/8/23.
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