Amazing Spanakopita Recipe

Ingredients and Prep

Grab two pounds of fresh spinach—actually, I added a handful more because I love the filling. Work in batches unless you have a comically large skillet. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a regular large skillet set over medium heat.

Spinach Tips

You don’t have to use fresh spinach; my mom uses frozen half the time. If you do, swap the two pounds fresh for one generous pound frozen, thawed and very well drained. The main goal is removing water—spinach is mostly water—so move it around so it wilts evenly.

Aromatics

While the spinach wilts, finely dice one large or two small onions. Mince six cloves of garlic (feel free to add more). Slice the entire green onion, roots discarded. Chop three tablespoons fresh dill and a quarter-cup parsley, removing tough stems.

Make the Filling

Press the wilted spinach in a sieve or twist it in cheesecloth until dry. Pick it apart so no clumps remain. Return the skillet to medium heat with another tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion, green onion, and garlic for about three minutes—just to soften, not caramelize. Let cool five minutes.

In a large bowl combine:

• Drained spinach
• 8 oz crumbled feta (a block in brine, crumbled by hand, tastes best)
• Cooled onion mixture
• Fresh dill and parsley

In the now-empty feta bowl whisk two large eggs with 1 tsp sea salt and ½ tsp cracked black pepper. Pour over the spinach mixture and fold until everything is evenly coated.

Assemble

Heat oven to 350 °F. Brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with melted butter. Keep half a cup of melted butter warm (set the bowl over hot water so it stays fluid).

Phyllo Base

Unroll thawed phyllo; cover with a kitchen towel to prevent drying. Layer seven sheets in the dish, brushing each with butter and alternating the direction of the sheets so the sides are covered. Tears are fine—save the prettiest sheets for the top.

Add Filling and Top

Spread the spinach mixture evenly. Layer five more buttered phyllo sheets on top, letting them overhang the edges. Fold the overhang underneath to create a tidy rim. Score the top into 12 squares so it slices cleanly after baking.

Bake

Bake 50 minutes, until golden and puffed throughout. Let rest a few minutes, then slice along the scored lines. The result: a shatteringly crisp, buttery crust encasing a soft, cheesy, herb-flecked spinach filling.

Make-Ahead Tip

Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze. Bake straight from frozen, adding extra time as needed.