When your fridge is flush with herbs and tender greens, make spanakopita. The Greek spinach and feta pie recipe is a great way to use up leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard, dandelions, and then some for a satisfying vegetarian main dish. As cheesemongers, we love it as a showcase for feta cheese—especially the rich and creamy sheep's milk feta we get from Hidden Springs Creamery in Wisconsin.
Spanakopita has a reputation as a time-consuming dish. Paper-thin layers of filo (aka phyllo) dough have to be brushed with butter, dosed with filling, and folded into tricky layers. Our version cuts down on the effort while preserving all the flavor. You'll bake it in the same pan that you cook your greens in, and instead of painstakingly brushing melted butter between filo layers, you'll drizzle drams of olive oil for a quick and easy assembly. Tear a few final sheets of filo to cover the top and you'll have a rustic but artful centerpiece for Easter brunch, Sunday gatherings, potlucks, or a vegetarian dinner. This recipe calls for just one pan and one mixing bowl to get you to spinach-and-feta glory fast. We recommend using mature spinach for this pie rather than tender baby spinach—the mature version with thicker stems holds up better to baking.
We add one unconventional ingredient to the filling: a bit of Finger Lakes Gold. This goat's milk gouda melts and melds with the eggs, lemon, and spinach juices to form almost a light custard. It helps keep the filling bound together while soaking up liquid that could otherwise cause a soggy bottom in the pan. You can skip it if you want, or substitute any mild melting cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus about 1 cup more for drizzling between filo layers
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 20 oz mature (not baby) spinach, rinsed clean
- Salt to taste
- 1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped
- 1 bunch of dill, chopped
- 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1 bunch of scallions, chopped
- 6 oz Sheep Feta, crumbled
- 2 oz Finger Lakes Gold, diced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 eggs
- 12 sheets of filo (phyllo) dough, defrosted if frozen
Method
Place a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 400°F.
Heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (such as cast iron) on medium-high and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add onions and shallots and cook until they turn golden, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to high and add the rinsed spinach in handfuls until all the greens are in the pan. Add a pinch of salt and carefully stir the spinach into the onions and shallots as it steams until the mixture is tender and bright green.
Remove from heat and transfer the spinach mixture to a large mixing bowl. There will be some excess water from the spinach in the bowl. Drain this excess by covering the mixture with the lid of a large pan and tilting the bowl over the sink while pressing down on the lid. It's okay if you don't get all of it, and there's still plenty of flavor in the drained spinach. When finished, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and let it sit on the stove.
Add the mint, dill, parsley, scallions, feta, Finger Lakes Gold, and lemon juice to the mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Taste the mixture to see if you need to add more salt; the feta is salty, so you may not need to season more. Then mix in the eggs and set aside.
Unroll 8 sheets of filo dough. Place a sheet on the bottom of the skillet with the edges draped over the sides of the pan, then drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on top. Add another sheet of filo on top, rotating slightly so the sheets don't completely overlap. Press the sheet down to spread the drizzled olive oil from the previous layer, then drizzle more olive oil on top. Repeat for 6 more sheets.
Transfer the filling from the mixing bowl to the skillet and fold the filo edges on top, leaving an exposed ring of filling in the center. It's okay if the sheets tear. Press the filo gently so the filling is well distributed.
Unroll 4 more sheets of filo. One by one, tear the sheets into haphazard strips and place them gently but firmly on top of the filling, drizzling more olive oil between the layers and on top of the final layer.
Transfer to the oven and bake until the filo is browned and crisp on top, about 40 minutes. When it's done, let the spanakopita cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing in. This is important so the filling has time to set and keep from burning your mouth. Serve warm or at room temperature.
