Greek Spinach Pie - Spanakopita

This spinach pie - spanakopita is a traditional and very popular dish in Greece and around the world. The delicious savory pie has a homemade crust, creamy feta, extra virgin olive oil, and lots of spinach.

Spinach pie - Spanakopita is so popular in Greece; it can even be called the ultimate Greek fast food. Together with its sister, the cheese pie, it is vastly available in bakeries everywhere and is enjoyed as a snack or a fast lunch on the go.

Families have their own recipes making spanakopita, and each region incorporates its own cheeses and herbs. Some call it herb pie-hortopita. There are also various ways to do the crust, some really pretty and intricate.

How to make spanakopita

This savory pie has spinach, lots of herbs, and feta. The crust is very easy to make with few staple ingredients.

About the spinach

I like using frozen spinach when I make spanakopita. I buy it in bulk from the local grocery store, which is so much easier to handle. Spinach tends to shrink significantly when it is cooked, so buying 3 lbs of fresh spinach is not budget-friendly or practical. I prefer to use fresh when I add spinach to a soup, stew, or making a salad. Otherwise, for my pies, frozen goes a long way and tastes delicious.

By all means, use fresh spinach if you prefer. Your spanakopita will come out really lovely.

Cheese options

• You can use just feta cheese. Buy a block of Greek feta and crumble it. If it is too salty, place the block in a bowl full of water and leave overnight in the fridge to make it less salty. If you are happy with the taste, use it as is and be aware of how much salt you are adding to the filling.
• Another cheese you can use that works very well in this savory pie is mizithra. It is primarily produced on the island of Crete. The cheese is soft, white, and creamy. There are two kinds, sour, and regular sweet mizithra, with no salt at all. I sometimes mix the two or use what I can find.
• Anthotyros cheese is a mild, lovely soft cheese that is amazing in spanakopita. You can use a mix of feta and ricotta to get a similar flavor.

About the crust

I love homemade crust for my spinach pie. That's how we always made it at home, and my grandma and aunts made pie crust as well. Occasionally, I use phyllo sheets for this savory pie, just not as often.

I roll the dough as thin as I can. I add two thin pieces on the bottom and two on the top. That's because I love the crust. You can choose to add one piece, top, and bottom if a lot of crust is not your liking. Rolling out the dough thin enough is not always successful for me, especially if I am tired. I am the first to admit it. If I am exhausted that day, any thickness will do! I love homemade crust so much that I don't mind.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Frozen spinach 
• Scallions
• Mint
• Fresh dill
• Eggs
• Feta cheese (or mizithra or a mix of cheeses -please see above)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Thaw the spinach.

Place a large pan over medium heat. Add the 2 tbs olive oil, scallions, and sauté until they soften. Add the spinach. Sauté until it softens a little, 1-2 minutes. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if you feel it is needed. Remove spinach to a colander to drain the liquids.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine the flour, one tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch or two of salt.  Gradually add warm water to the flour, about 2 cups of water. Mix dough well, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let it rest while you finish making the filling.

Transfer spinach to a bowl. Roughly chop the mint and dill, and add them to the bowl. Add some dry oregano and cheese. Add the eggs—season with sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Mix everything well -I like using my hands- but don't overwork the mixture.

Divide the dough into four pieces, two a little bigger than the other two, since you will use them to cover the sides and bottom of your pan.

Brush the bottom and sides of your pan with olive oil.

Roll out the two larger pieces of dough into a size about 2 inches larger than your pan. Try to make them as thin as you can but don't stress too much about it. Cover the pieces you are not using with a damp towel, so they don't dry out.

Place one of the dough sheets to the bottom of the pan, press gently to cover all the sides. Brush a little olive oil. Add the other piece. Brush a little olive oil all over.

Add the filling evenly all over.

Roll out the rest of the dough into two pieces, a size similar to your pan. Cover the filling with one piece. Again, try to roll them as thin as you can. Brush olive oil all over. Add the other piece on top. Press gently to cover everything on any of the sides of the pan that are exposed. 

With pair of scissors trim the dough to the edge of the pan. Roll the extra dough back in to create a trim for your pie.

Brush some olive oil all over. Score gently with a sharp knife.

Bake in the middle rack of your oven for 50-60 min or until it's golden on top.

Spanakopita can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. Pair a couple of pieces with a salad for a delicious meal. This savory pie is very versatile. It can be also be served as an appetizer or side dish to any meal.

• For a speedy spanakopita, you can use the ready-made pie crust available in the supermarket's fridge section. Use one pie crust for the top and one for the bottom, and you are done.
• Cooked spanakopita will keep well if properly stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Heat in medium-heated oven until warmed through.
• You can also assemble the spanakopita and freeze it to bake for a later time. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap or beeswax, and then with aluminum foil—Bake in a 350 F oven for an hour.

Important note

In my family, we are used to making a big pan of spanakopita and enjoy it for days. My aunt would visit neighbors and friends, gifting spinach pie pieces.

This recipe is good for a crowd.

I use an 11 x 14 large baking pan for this recipe. It yields about 24 pieces. I usually use it when I make spanakopita for a summer party, like a barbecue. It feeds a lot of people, and it is always a big hit. When I make this pie just for the two of us, I halve the recipe. There are still a lot of leftovers, and we enjoy spanakopita leftovers for a couple of days.

You may also try:

• Cheese pie – Tiropita, the most popular pie in Greece.
• A great easy dish is this traditional pie with pastourma & kasseri.
• This bell pepper pie is sweet and savory, and really easy to make.

Check out my Greek pantry staples 

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