SPANAKOPITA

I've been dreaming of making this luscious spanakopita ever since our trip to Greece last year. We had rented a villa just outside of Ano Mera, a quiet part of Mykonos that’s worlds away from the party scene the island is known for. My husband and I love to cook whenever we travel for an extended stay, so a fully equipped kitchen is a non-negotiable for our family holidays. There's something so incredibly soothing about it: discovering new ingredients and learning old traditions, all while basking in that intangible energy that connects you to the food of a land that has so graciously welcomed you in.

One exceptionally windy night (if you've ever met the notorious meltemi winds of the Cyclades, you know exactly what I mean), we had booked Eleni's Catering for a traditional Greek feast. We were craving the real deal, made in our kitchen served right on our windswept terrace.We shifted gears at the last minute and decided to throw a dinner party with new friends we had met on our flight over. It was fun, spontaneous, and proof of how food connects us in the most unexpected ways beautiful ways. My husband and I prepped a few of our own recipes, and the caterers sent two wonderful Greek women, Ana and Sofia, to prepare some of their iconic, Greek specialties. Cook, laugh, taste, and repeat was the way the mood of the moment.

The evening was deliciously fabulous. I loved cooking alongside Ana and Sofia so much that they came back a few days later to give me my very own cooking lesson.

We made spanakopita on the terrace, the Mykonian sun shining in the distance. We brushed olive oil across every paper-thin sheet of filo pastry, layer by generous layer, then piled in handfuls of spinach filling laden with a trio of Greek cheeses: anthotyros, kefalotyri, and, of course, feta. We finished it off with more filo, scored it into generous squares, and baked it until the whole villa smelled like what could only be described as your very own traditional Greek bakery.

So simple, so generous, and far too good not to share.

Print Recipe

Spanakopita

Makes: One 9 x 13 inch tray, approximately 9 to 12 pieces, depending on your desired size

You will need a 9 x 13 inch baking tray or an equivalent size

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg spinach - (fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen), roughly chopped
• 1 leek, white and green parts, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 300 grams (about 2 cups) feta cheese, crumbled
• 200 grams (about 2 cups) kefalotyri cheese, grated
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) anthotyro cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 cups parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoons salt
• black pepper to taste
• approximately 1 cup (250 ml) olive oil, for sautéing the vegetables and brushing the filo pastry
• 8 filo pastry sheets

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sauté the leek by heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped leek, white and green parts, and sauté gently until soft, about 5-6 minutes . Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Make the filling. If you are using frozen, thawed spinach, remeber to squeeze out all the excess water - it should almost feel dry the touch. In a large bowl combine the spinach, red onion, the cooled sautéed leek, and egg. Mix to combine. Add feta cheese, kefalotyri, anthotyro, dill, parsley, and black pepper. Mix well and taste for seasoning (go easy on salt as the cheeses are salty).
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350 F) and set the rack to the center. Brush your baking tray generously with olive oil.
4. Lay 4 sheets of 8 filo pastry sheets in the tray, brushing each sheet thoroughly with enough olive oil to fully coat (make sure you go all the way to the edges, before adding the next,letting the edges overhang the tray slightly.
5. Spread the spinach and cheese filling evenly over the base filo layers.
6. Layer the top filo four sheets of filo, again, bushing each layer completely with olive oil before adding the next. Tuck or fold in the overhanging edges to seal, and brush the top generously with oil.
7. Using a sharp knife, score the top layer into nine to twelve portions (this stops the filo shattering when you cut it later). Sprinkle a bit of cold water over the top of the filo to keep the top from puffing up. Bake until deep golden and crisp.

Let the spanakopita rest for 10 minutes before cutting along the scored lines and serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature and devour!

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