Supper Spanakopita

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Traditionally shaped into small triangles or made in large casserole dishes, the Greek spinach pies, known as spanakopita, are just as easy to roll into logs. This unconventional shape offers plenty of contrast between the crisp layers of buttered phyllo and the creamy, dill-flecked filling. Round out this vegetarian meal with a green salad.

Supper Spanakopita
Photo: © Guy Ambrosino
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Yield:
6
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • Two 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, thawed

  • 2 large eggs

  • 8 ounces feta, crumbled

  • 1 cup ricotta

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

  • 1/4 nutmeg, finely grated

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • Eighteen 17- by 12-inch phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen

Directions

  1. Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, feta, ricotta, dill, nutmeg and spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat.

  3. Cover the stack of phyllo sheets with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel.

  4. Take 1 phyllo sheet from the stack and arrange on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keeping the remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with more butter. Continue until you have a stack of 6 buttered phyllo sheets.

  5. Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the spinach mixture along the bottom third of the buttered phyllo. Roll up and place the log, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with the remaining filling and phyllo, to make 3 logs total. Brush the tops of the logs with any remaining butter. Refrigerate the unbaked spanakopita for 30 minutes.

  6. Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the spanakopita until phyllo is golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting. To serve, cut each log in half.

Make Ahead

The spanakopita can be baked and then frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 2 weeks before serving.

Originally appeared: February 2014

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