Spanakopita: spinach, feta, dill, and leek pie
A deep Greek filo pie with spinach, leek, dill, feta, and a crisp base protected by a properly dry filling.
Prep40 min
Cook50 min
Rest20 min
Oven190°C
Servings8
Adapted for the home kitchen from documented Greek recipe references
Ingredients
Written for a 23 × 33 cm dish
Units
Temperature
Servings
- 800 g fresh spinach rounded
- 300 g leeks, thinly sliced rounded
- 30 ml olive oil rounded
- 25 g fresh dill, chopped rounded
- 20 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped rounded
- 300 g feta, crumbled rounded
- 2 eggs rounded
- 1 g black pepper rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
- 300 g filo pastry rounded
- 100 g butter, melted, or olive oil rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Wilt the spinach in batches in a wide dry pan over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes a batch. Cool it, then squeeze it very dry and chop it.
- Cook leeks in olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and dry. Cool completely.
- Mix the spinach, leek, dill, parsley, feta, eggs, and pepper. Taste and add salt: how much depends entirely on the feta. Heat the oven to 190°C.
- Butter a 23 x 33 cm metal tin. Layer half the filo with butter between sheets, letting edges overhang. Spread in the filling without compressing it.
- Cover with remaining buttered filo, tuck the edges, score the top into portions, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deeply golden. Rest 20 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- The filling must be cold and dry before it touches filo.
- Score only the top layers before baking so steam escapes without leaking filling.
- Keep the filo covered with a damp towel as you work; sheets left out go brittle within minutes.
Sources consulted
Good with
- Galaktoboureko: Greek semolina custard filo pie
- Greek salad with sardines
- Patates antinahtes: Cypriot cracked coriander potatoes
Sources consulted
From Christoph Mayer