Spanakopita

This Spanakopita recipe also known as Borek throughout Turkey and other parts of the Middle East features a golden, flaky phyllo pastry filled with a delectable combination of spinach, feta cheese, and spices.

What is Spanakopita?

Spanakopita is a traditional Greek dish consisting of flaky phyllo pastry filled with a savory mixture of spinach, feta cheese, herbs, and spices. It's a delicious and popular appetizer or snack in Greek cuisine. It is better known in this part of the globe as Borek and is beloved from Turkey throughout the Middle East.

Well Borek is really the core of what this pastry is and a little research turns up the fact that this dish is beloved throughout so much of Europe and the Middle East in varieties of both sweet and savory. Spanakopita is another name for börek.

Ingredients and substitutions for Spanakopita

• Phyllo pastry: Those thin sheets of phyllo or filo pastry are store-bought as this is much easier. If you cannot source this pastry, you could sub in puff pastry, however, this has fat already in it (phyllo does not) so it would be recommended to not layer, due to the laminating that has already been completed in the process of making puff.
• Spinach: Fresh spinach was used here, however, you could use frozen thawed spinach instead.
• Feta: You want to use nice and firm feta here made with sheep and/or goat’s milk which is perfect here.
• Egg: The egg helps to bind the yogurt and oil together between each layer of pastry.
• Yogurt: Nice thick plain yogurt is best here thanks to it’s tart savoriness. You can replace with Greek yogurt or plain unsweetened Skyr here.
• Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds add a nice complimentary flavor to the Borek, though you could substitute with black sesame seeds that were used more traditionally in the original recipe.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Spanakopita:

Step 1: Blanche spinach: Place a large pot on high heat and bring to the boil. Toss two handful’s of spinach into the boiling water to blanche then toss into ice water.

Step 2: Drain and squeeze: Squeeze the excess water out of all the leaves.

Step 3: Separate and chop: Separate the dried leaves and chop coarsely. Set aside.

Step 4: Cook: Brown the shallots and garlic in a frying pan and then toss in spinach and spices before cooling.

Step 5: Add feta: Stir through the crumbled feta. Set aside.

Step 6: Pastry wash: Whisk the pastry wash in a bowl until combined.

Step 7: Brush and layer: Brush a thin layer all around your baking dish. Lay one sheet of the phyllo pastry into your baking dish. Repeat with the remaining half pastry sheets.

Step 8: Filling: Spoon the spinach feta mixture over the pastry and smooth out evenly.

Step 9: Repeat. Brush a thin layer of the pastry mixture on a sheet of pastry and repeat layering and brushing as with the bottom layer. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Step 10: Bake: Bake until golden.

Step 11: Cool and cut: Remove and allow to cool before cutting into even slices.

Step 12: Serve warm or cool: Serve either warmed or room temperature

Step 13: Enjoy: Dig in.

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Spanakopita

Sylvie Taylor

Layers of phyllo pastry envelope a savory filling in this Spanakopita or Spinach and Feta Borek recipe. The pastry is crunchy and the filling with layers of bright green spinach and salty feta for a great savory snack.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Cooling time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Greek, Turkish

Servings 16

Calories 174 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Spinach filling

• 1 kilo / 2 pounds fresh spinach
• 26 grams / 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 245 grams / 8.6 ounces feta finely crumbled

Pastry layer

• 71 grams / ⅓ cup olive oil
• 81 grams / ⅓ cup yogurt
• 40 grams / 1 small egg room temperature
• 275 grams / ⅔ pounds phyllo pastry
• 18 grams / 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

 

Spinach filling

• Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
• Place a large pot half filled with water on high heat and bring to the boil.
• Meanwhile, wash the spinach and toss two handful’s of spinach into the boiling water to blanche for 2 minutes.
• Prepare a large bowl with ice and water.
• Remove the spinach and stir through the ice water.
• Repeat with the remaining spinach until all have been placed into the ice water.
• Drain and squeeze the excess water out of all the leaves.
• Chop the spinach coarsely and separate as much as possible. Set aside.
• Place a large pan onto low to medium heat with the olive oil.
• Toss in the shallots and garlic, cooking for 4 minutes, until it is beginning to brown at the edges.
• Toss in the spinach, cayenne pepper and ground cumin, stirring to combine.
• Continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and set aside for cool for 5 minutes.
• Stir through the crumbled feta until evenly distributed. Set aside.

Pastry layer

• For the pastry, place the olive oil, yogurt and egg into a bowl and whisk to combine.
• Brush a portion all around your baking dish.
• Lay one sheet of the phyllo pastry into your baking dish and brush with the olive oil mixture, repeating laying each sheet and brushing until you have stacked half the pastry.
• Evenly spoon over the spinach feta mixture right to the edges of your dish and then begin layering the pastry, brushing between each, just the same as the bottom layer.
• Finish by brushing with the oil egg mixture and sprinkle over the black sesame seeds.
• Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until golden.
• Remove and allow to cool before cutting into even slices.
• Serve either warmed or room temperature.
• Dig in.

Notes

• Square tin: A 25×25 cm or 10×10 inch square baking tin was used here, though a rectangle tin of similar size would also work well. 
• Phyllo pastry: Those thin sheets of phyllo or filo pastry are store-bought as this is much easier. If you cannot source this pastry, you could sub in puff pastry, however, this has fat already in it (phyllo does not) so it would be recommended to not layer, due to the laminating that has already been completed in the process of making puff.
• You can use frozen spinach: Make sure to thaw and drain the spinach thoroughly before incorporating it into the filling.
• Prepare ahead of time: Assemble ahead of time and refrigerate them until you're ready to bake. This makes it convenient for entertaining or preparing for special occasions.
• Great to freeze: After baking, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bags. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, simply reheat them in the oven until warmed through.

Adapted from Turkish Food Passion

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal

Keyword pastry, savory baking

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