Spanakopita
This Greek classic is absolutely delicious; it’s a phyllo pastry filled with spinach, feta, ricotta and some delicious garlic. I love to make these myself because nothing compensates for the simple and fresh ingredients. They’re actually fairly simple to make, and I have tons of tips, pictures, and even a short video showing you how to fold them up.
I start by wilting the spinach. In a dry pan, I literally cook down fresh spinach until it’s softened and greatly reduced in size. Then, I drain it and squeeze out any water before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.
For the ricotta, I like to use whole milk but you could use any type you find in the grocery store. This isn’t really a diet recipe, so whole milk really brings a great flavor. For the feta, I just buy a crumbled one but you could crumble a block yourself. Then, I use like 10 cloves of fresh garlic (not exaggerating), as well as some salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Then, I use extra virgin olive oil in between the phyllo dough layers, before placing in the filling and wrapping them up. I just use frozen (and defrosted) pastry, as homemade phyllo is so difficult to make and the storebought one tastes good.
I made a little video of the folding process, as you can see below. Honestly, I found it pretty hard to describe it in words but it’s actually pretty simple. I’d recommend watching the video a few times, or looking at the pictures in the recipe below. Then, try it yourself! The first one might be a little messy, but you’ll get the hang of it.
Then, I bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy! That’s pretty much it. I make these for dinner with my mozzarella pesto chicken wraps, smashed potatoes, and mango avocado salsa. Now, for the recipe with all the helpful pictures.
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh spinach (12 oz)
- 10 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup (6oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil to brush the phyllo
- 20 sheets phyllo dough 8″ x 12″
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF. In a nonstick pan with nothing in it, cook your spinach until it is slightly softened and wilted. Place it in a sieve or colander and use a paper towel to squeeze out any water.
- Chop up the wilted and dried spinach slightly and then combine it with the feta, minced garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and ricotta. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Now, start the folding and layering process. Lay out one sheet of phyllo pastry and brush it with olive oil. Then, place another sheet on top and continue that until you have four sheets layered. Make four cuts along the long side, so you have four rectangles 3″ x 8″.
4. Place a heaping tablespoon on one end of each rectangle, then fold as the pictures show you. Fold the bottom left corner about 1/3 of the way up the right side, then fold the triangle on itself three more times. See the step by step pictures below or the video above for more help!
5. Finally, just bake them in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Enjoy!
Spanakopita
Equipment
- pastry brush
- nonstick pan
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh spinach (12 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups feta
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 10 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese whole milk (6 oz)
- 3 tbsp olive oil for brushing the phyllo
- 20 sheets phyllo pastry 8" x 12"
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Wilt the spinach in a nonstick pan with nothing else in it until softened. Place in a sieve or colander and press with a paper towel until the water has been squeezed out.
- Chop the wilted spinach and add to a bowl with the feta, salt, pepper, lemon zest, garlic, and ricotta cheese. Set aside.
- Lay out one sheet of phyllo pastry and brush with olive oil. Place another sheet on top and continue layering until you have four sheets.
- Cut four rectangles, so that they are 3" x 8". Place a heaping tablespoon of filling at one end, then fold. Find detailed instructions, pictures, and a video above.
- Bake the spanakopita in your oven for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Macros: 6.2 g fat, 15.8 g carbohydrates, 4.7 g protein
- Find extra tips including pictures, a video, and suggestions for what to pair these with for dinner in my blog post above.