Greek Spanakopita

My journey with spanakopita began during a coastal vacation in Greece where I watched in awe as a local woman’s hands deftly manipulated paper-thin phyllo dough into perfect triangles filled with spinach and feta. The crisp, buttery exterior giving way to the savory filling became an instant obsession.

Back home, after several failed attempts with torn dough and leaking filling, I finally mastered the technique. Now these crispy spinach triangles are my go-to for gatherings, always disappearing within minutes and leaving friends requesting the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 package (16 oz) phyllo dough, thawed
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic until soft
2. Add spinach in batches until wilted, then transfer to a colander to drain
3. Squeeze out excess moisture from spinach mixture
4. In a large bowl, combine spinach mixture with herbs, seasonings, eggs, and cheeses
5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
6. Brush a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter
7. Layer 10 sheets of phyllo in the dish, brushing each with butter
8. Spread spinach mixture evenly over phyllo
9. Layer remaining phyllo on top, brushing each sheet with butter
10. Score the top layers into serving-sized squares
11. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp
12. Let cool slightly before serving