804 Bakes: Spanakopita

A few weeks ago, my grandmother and I made some spanakopita, which is a spinach and feta cheese filling wrapped in filo dough. This spinach pie is a traditional greek food which can be bought frozen, but I really enjoyed making these and thought I would share the process.

Ingredients:

1. 4 onions (diced)
2. 2 lbs. feta
3. 4 lbs. spinach (drained in a cheese cloth so the filo won't get soggy)
4. 8 eggs
5. 3 tbsp. butter
6. filo dough

The mixture:

1. Put the drained spinach in a bowl with the feta and onions.
2. Pour the eggs in the mixture and stir/fold until it is combined.

Forming the Spanakopita:

1. Cut the filo dough into strips about the width that you would like your spanakopita.
2. Place three sheets of filo down one at a time, brushing with butter between each layer (for a more flaky spanakopita with a thicker shell, put 4-5 pieces of filo down still brushing with butter between each sheet.
3. Place about 1-2 tbsp. of the spinach mixture on the filo.
4. Begin folding the filo into triangles.
1. Fold the left corner of the filo over the mixture to meet the right side of the strip.
2. Next, fold the top corner (along the the mixture) down, in order to incase the spinach and keep the mixture from spilling out.
3. Keep folding in the manner until you have a triangular shaped spanakopita.
5. Brush your final product with melted butter and either place on a pan to bake or place in the freezer.
6. Bake at 375 ºF for 45 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.

3 sheets of buttered filo

folding the filo over the mixture into a
triangular shape

about 1 spoonful of filling

Reminders:

1. The spanakopita can stay in the freezer for about a month until it needs to be cooked.
2. Dill can be added into the mixture as well.
3. Salt is not necessary in the mixture due to the saltiness of the feta cheese, but pepper can be added as preferred.