Mom's Spanakopita Recipe

Our mom, Aspasia, shares her delicious spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pie) recipe. One of the most traditional Greek dishes, you'll find spanakopitas sold at every and any of the many bakeries throughout the country. As international travel may not get back to normal any time soon, we wanted to bring a slice (pun intended) of Greece to you. 

Spanakopita

Ingredients:

You need a rectangular pan or pyrex dix

1 lb Phyllo

½ lb melted butter (it may take less)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound of fresh organic spinach

¼ cup olive oil

2 stalks chopped leeks (optional)

1 big onion chopped

handful of chopped spring onions

¼ cup chopped fresh dill weed or ½ bunch

1/2 cup parsley

1 tsp dried ground mint leaves 

freshly ground pepper and salt to taste (be careful not to oversalt as cheese is salty)

¾ to 1 lb feta

¼ lb grated Romano or Parmesan cheese 

2 eggs beaten

2/3 to 1 cup milk

Method:

In a large pan heat olive oil and sauté onions with a pinch of salt until soft (don’t brown them). Add Leeks.

When leeks get soft and translucent, add herbs. Cut or break the spinach with your hands and add to the pan a few at a time until they are wilted and a little soft.

Take the mixture off the fire and then let cool. 

Beat eggs, adding a little bit of freshly ground pepper. And then slowly beat in the organic milk.

Fold the mix of cheeses to the spinach and herbs. And then add the eggs and milk mixture. Set aside

Butter the pan or pyrex with a mix of melted butter and olive oil.

Put about 8 phyllo sheets BUTTERING EACH ONE OF THEM on the bottom of the pan.

Pour spinach mixture in

Put another 10 sheets on top BUTTERING EACH ONE.

Carefully score them and bake in 350 F oven until brown. This should take 45 minutes to one hour.

When it's done, let it rest for half hour before serving.