Spanakopita — Spinach and Feta Pie

Layers of shatteringly crisp phyllo dough wrapped around a savoury filling of wilted spinach, herbs,
and feta. Spanakopita can be made as small triangles (tiropita-style) or as a large pan cut into
squares. The phyllo-to-filling ratio makes or breaks the dish.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (feta cheese, butter, eggs, milk)

SERVINGS: 8
TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the filling:
- 1.5 kg fresh spinach (or 1 kg frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed dry)
- 400 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 200 g ricotta or farmer's cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper

For the phyllo:
- 1 (450 g) package phyllo dough, thawed
- 200 g butter, melted (or 150 g butter + 50 ml olive oil)

METHOD:
1. If using fresh spinach: wilt in a dry pan in batches, drain, squeeze thoroughly, and chop.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onion 7 minutes. Add green onions and garlic, cook 2 minutes more. Cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine spinach, onion mixture, crumbled feta, ricotta, eggs, dill, parsley, mint, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Taste — feta is salty, so season carefully.
4. Unroll phyllo and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
5. Brush a 23×33 cm baking dish with melted butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the dish (it can overhang the edges). Brush with butter. Repeat with 8 sheets total, buttering each.
6. Spread all the filling evenly over the phyllo base.
7. Top with 8 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Tuck overhanging edges down into the pan to seal.
8. Score the top 4-5 layers of phyllo into portion-sized squares with a sharp knife. Do NOT cut all the way through — scoring helps prevent shattering during serving.
9. Brush the top generously with remaining butter.
10. Bake at 180C (350F) for 45-55 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
11. Rest 15 minutes. Cut fully along the score lines. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTES:
- Phyllo tears easily. Work with one sheet at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp towel.
- Score before baking, not after — trying to cut baked phyllo shatters the crust.
- Spanakopita is equally good warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is the ideal picnic or buffet food.
- Leftover spanakopita stays crisp for 2 days. Reheat briefly in a 180C oven — do not microwave.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 420 | Protein: 18 g | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Fat: 26 g | Fibre: 4 g