Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie (Spanakotiropita)
Spanakotiropita is a delicious and aromatic pie that will transport you straight to the Mediterranean. This traditional Greek dish is made with layers of crunchy phyllo pastry, filled with creamy spinach and crumbled Greek feta cheese.
The spinach is sautéed with spring onions, dill, and mint until wilted, then seasoned with salt and pepper. The dough is made from all-purpose flour, white wine vinegar, Greek extra virgin olive oil, and salt, and rolled out into a thin and delicate layer.
Once the layers of phyllo and filling are assembled, the pie is baked until golden and crispy. The result is a mouthwatering, satisfying dish that is perfect for any occasion. Just try to eat only one slice!
Spanakotiropita resembles and it is often mistaken for spanakopita, another famous Greek spinach pie. The difference between these two pies is the filling: spanakopita’s filling has no cheese in it while spanakotiropita is made with both spinach and feta cheese in it.
Enjoy this delicious Spanakotiropita recipe by Greek celebrity Chef George Tsoulis.
Enjoy this traditional Greek cheese and spinach pie by Greek celebrity chef Giorgos Tsoulis.
Greek Spinach & Cheese Pie (Spanakotiropita)
Ingredients
For phyllo dough:
- 550 g all-purpose flour
- 220 ml water lukewarm
- 15 g white wine vinegar
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g salt
- corn starch for brushing over the dough
For filling:
- 1 kg spinach washed, coarsely chopped
- 500 g feta cheese crumbled
- 1 bunch spring onions finely chopped
- 1 bunch dill finely chopped
- ¼ bunch mint finely chopped
- salt
- pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat fan oven to 190 °C ( 375 °F).
For the phyllo dough:
- In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, vinegar, water and olive oil. Knead with your hands, until you create a soft, manageable dough. Transfer to a work surface and knead until you create a soft, smooth dough.
- Cut the dough into 7 equal pieces and shape each one into round balls. Dust a baking pan with corn starch and add the balls of dough, making sure they do not touch one another. Cover the pan with cellophane wrap or a damp towel. Set aside to rest for about ½ hour.
For the filling:
- Place a pan over a medium heat and allow to get very hot. Add some olive oil, the spinach, spring onions. Mix with a wooden spoon and sauté, until the greens wilt.
- Transfer to a bowl and add the feta cheese, dill and mint. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Pour the filling into a colander with a bowl underneath to drain the liquids and let it cool.
- Dust a clean working surface with some corn starch and fill a bowl with some corn starch. Take one of the balls of dough and dip it into the bowl with the corn starch and spread it out a little with your hands. Place it on the work surface. Use a long rolling pin to roll out the dough. Begin from the outer border and roll inwards towards the center.
- Turn the dough clockwise, and repeat the same process continuously, until you have created a very thin phyllo dough that is 35 cm (14 inches) in diameter. Repeat the same process for the remaining balls of dough.
- Brush a 30 cm (12 inches) round baking pan with some olive oil. Add 3 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each one with olive oil.
- Add 1/3 of the filling and spread evenly over the phyllo dough. Cover with 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with olive oil. Add another 1/3 of the filling over it.
- Cover with 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with olive oil. Add the remaining filling, spread evenly and add 2 more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each one with olive oil.
- Fold the overhanging edges inward to create a border and lightly score the surface with a straight edged knife and brush with olive oil.
- Bake the spinach and cheese pie for 1 hour, until it is golden and the phyllo is crunchy. Serve hot.
Notes
For more information about Greek cuisine, check out our round-up of the most popular Greek foods.
Related: Tiropita – Traditional Greek Cheese Pie
Related: Hortopita: Greek Greens Pie
