Easy Spanakopita
My simplified method for spanakopita, Greek Spinach Pie, is to pour the clarified butter over the assembled filled phyllo. So much faster! And the results are just as crisp, flaky and delicious as if you buttered every layer individually. Cut the pie into however many pieces you'd like, larger for a main dish, medium for a side dish, and small for appetizers for a crowd.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 8 to 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed (1 bag or box)
- 7 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 4 scallions, finely sliced (both white and green parts)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- A Few grinds black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup clarified butter, melted
- 1 pound package frozen phyllo dough, 9”x14”, thawed to room temperature, unopened until just before using
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350°F. Squeeze the spinach in the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the feta cheese, cottage cheese, and cream cheese until well incorporated (it helps to stir the room-temp cream cheese in a small bowl first to loosen it and smooth it out).
- 3
Add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the scallions, spinach, salt, pepper, and dill.
- 4
Brush the bottom of a 13” x 9” x 2”-inch glass or metal (not dark) pan with a teaspoon or two of the clarified butter.
- 5
Remove one sleeve of the phyllo from its wrapping and gently unfold it. Trim the long side by an inch so it will fit into the pan. Lay the entire stack in the bottom of the pan and smooth to fit.
- 6
Spoon the filling over the phyllo and gently spread the filling evenly over the phyllo.
- 7
Remove the other sleeve of the phyllo from its wrapping and do the same as with the first: trim the long side by an inch so it will fit into the pan. Lay the entire stack over the filling layer and smooth to fit.
- 8
Use the tip of a sharp chef's knife to mark where your cuts will be around the edge of the pan: one mark on the short side and three marks on the long side, evenly spaced. Then cut the length of the phyllo down the middle, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan. Make three cuts crosswise to get 8 large pieces, again cutting all the way through to the bottom of the pan.
- 9
Pour the melted clarified butter evenly over the assembled and cut pie. Use the tip of the knife to again cut through where the cuts were made previously to ensure the butter gets fully absorbed.
- 10
Bake for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the spanakopita rest for a few minutes, then cut from the pan and serve.