Anyone who has been to Greece knows what we are talking about 😉
Spanakopita is a popular savory spinach pie that is usually made with feta cheese. You can also use domestically developed peels or purchased ones.
History says that it was invented by the poet Philoxenus in the 5th century, when he served it to his guests at the end of a banquet. In rural areas of Greece, the filling is made with less spinach and more swiss chard and leeks.
It is interesting that this is a common dish in Gibraltar as well, where they put edamer or cheddar cheese instead of feta.
Ingredients:
– 400g of thin pie crusts;
Phil:
– 350g of feta cheese (you can also use Greek kefalotyri cheese, as a substitute or addition to feta)
– 300g of spinach
– ½ bunch of spring onions;
– 1 spoon of finely chopped parsley;
– 1 spoon of finely chopped dill;
– 1 leek (white part)
– 2 spoons of breadcrumbs
– 4 tablespoons of oil
For coating:
– oil
– 1 egg
Preparation
Finely chop leeks and spring onions together with spices, parsley and dill, either by hand or in chopsticks.
Cut the spinach, too, but into strips. Mix everything in a large bowl, then add oil and breadcrumbs, then crumble feta over everything. It is necessary to mix well again.
Oil the pan well and first put three crusts so that the crusts cover the sides of the pan. Oil the crusts and put one layer of filling. On top of that, put two crusts that are oiled again, and then the filling on top of that. Repeat until you have material. The last layer should be three crusts as at the beginning. Oil each crust. If desired, you can cut the pie before baking. At the end, the pie should be coated with beaten egg with a few spoons of oil.
Bake in an oven heated to 180°C for about 40 minutes, until it turns golden yellow.
After baking, let it cool a little and serve warm.
Some use dried and some fresh dill, but everyone agrees that this spice is a must!
As they say, it is the “secret” ingredient of the original spanakopita. It is an excellent appetizer, ideal for breakfast or dinner.
Try it and report your impressions! Pleasant! 😊
