Greek Spanakopita

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made with flaky layers of phyllo dough and a comforting
mixture of spinach and feta. Serve it as a side dish at a family gathering or as a quick and energizing lunch. In Greece, this dish is so popular that you’ll find it in the windows of many side-street shops.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 package frozen phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
1–2 tablespoons water

For the filling

2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1¼ cup crumbled rennet-free feta cheese
2 bunches parsley, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 large onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium eggs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and brush the bottom and sides of a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Combine all the filling Ingredients in a bowl, mixing until well combined.
3. Place the phyllo sheets on a clean kitchen towel and cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
4. Line the bottom and sides of the prepared baking dish with two sheets of phyllo, allowing the phyllo to overhang the sides of the baking dish.
5. Brush the phyllo dough with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then add another two sheets of phyllo and brush them with more olive oil. Continue this process until you’ve used two thirds of the phyllo dough, coating the crust with olive oil after every two phyllo sheets.
6. Spread the spinach filling in an even layer on top of the phyllo. Top the spinach layer with the remaining phyllo sheets, again brushing with olive oil between every two sheets.
7. Brush the final layer of phyllo with olive oil, then sprinkle the water on top.
8. Fold the excess phyllo from the sides of the baking dish over the top, and brush the folded-in dough with the remaining olive oil.
9. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into 12 squares. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This AMAZING recipe and more can be found in my new Diabetic Kitchen cookbook here