Spanakopita

I remember going to Greek Fest in Milwaukee when I was a little girl and sampling all of the Mediterranean delights. Baklava, lamb, gyros, hummus, and my absolute favorite, Spanakopita. I was drawn to the delicate, flaky crust and the delicious feta cheese that gave the filling a creamy texture. There also was a strange flavor that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Now that I’ve been making this dish myself, I realize that the interesting flavor was dill. The ingredients together make for one of my most favorite dishes!

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This dish is easy to adapt to the seasons. In the spring and fall I use fresh spinach. In the summer I pick chard right from my garden and use that in place of the spinach. Lacinato kale is another green that could be substituted and often kale can be found locally in the cooler months. Or try mixing all different greens! The key to using fresh greens is to make sure you press as much liquid out of the cooked greens as possible. I typically steam my fresh spinach or chard and then press in a sieve over a bowl, using the flat side of a meat mallet. Once the greens are pressed, they can be placed in a clean bowl and mixed with the other filling ingredients. 

Be warned, this is a time-consuming recipe, so you need to plan accordingly. The good news is that the large pan will make enough for leftovers. I also like to make a second pan at the same time, factory style, so that I can freeze extras to enjoy later. Phyllo is very thin sheets of dough that you can find in the freezer section of your grocery store. Be sure to defrost according to the directions on the box otherwise you can end up with sheets that are too dry, too wet, or tear. Once the dough is defrosted, you want to gently place the whole stack between two damp towels to keep it from drying out.

You will be working with two sheets at a time and brushing with olive oil so be sure that you keep a bowl of oil nearby and the bottle handy to add as needed. I find that a silicone brush works well to spread the oil on the dough sheets. Once you are done adding the filling and topping with additional layers, you can use a sharp knife to cut partway through. This will ensure that after cooking you can easily slice for serving without the entire thing crumbling.

Because of the thin dough sheets, this dish is best to cook first before freezing. I like to use these aluminum pans because you can bake right in them, let the Spanakopita cool, cover tightly with the top, and transfer to the freezer. It is then a breeze to move right from the freezer to the oven to heat through when you are ready to eat (don’t defrost or it will get soggy). It is best to eat this dish within 3-6 months of freezing. The aluminum pans can be washed and reused several times. When they are wearing thin, toss them in the recycling bin. So easy!

This dish pairs well with a Greek salad or homemade hummus to complete your meal.