Spanakotiropita combines tiropita and spanakopita, two of the most famous Greek traditional pies. As a result, spanakotiropita (σπανακοτυρόπιτα in Greek) is a remarkably delicious pie and my wife’s favorite one.
What is the difference between spanakopita and spanakotiropita? In simple words, spanakopita has no cheese in it while spanakotiropita has both spinach and Greek feta in it. Both are delicious, spanakopita is a vegan pie while spanakotiropita is a vegetarian one.
Rich in flavor and nutrition, spanakotiropita is full of fiber, iron, folic acid, and magnesium. Having that in mind, any time of day is a wonderful time for a slice of spanakotiropita. So hearty, you can savor this any time of day as a snack, an appetizer, or even the main dish. And nothing tastes the same as a homemade Greek pita!
To prepare this authentic spanakotiropita recipe, you need the following ingredients: spinach, green onions, dill, feta cheese, phyllo dough, Greek olive oil, and eggs. As I find it quite challenging to make phyllo pastry, I prefer to buy phyllo dough.
This authentic spanakotiropita recipe takes one hour to prepare and around one hour to bake.
Spanakotiropita – Ingredients
- Extra-virgin Greek olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped.
- 1 large leek finely chopped.
- 500 g of various greens, such as chard, washed, stems removed, and leaves coarsely chopped.
- 500 g of spinach, washed, stems removed, and leaves coarsely chopped.
- 300 g of feta cheese, crumbled.
- 3 large eggs
- Pepper
- 225 g of phyllo dough
Spanakotiropita – How to make
- Start this spanakotiropita recipe by taking a large frying pan and adding some olive oil. Place it over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and leek and cook until they get a golden color.
- Add the greens and spinach. Cover the pan with a lid and wilt.
- Add a bit of water if the pan becomes dry.
- Remove the pan from the heat and drain to remove any excess liquid.
- Transfer the greens to a bowl.
- Now, add the eggs, feta cheese, and pepper to the spinach mixture and mix. Taste and season, if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Take a baking pan (ideally 33-by-23-centimeter) and brush it with some olive oil.
- Start the spanakotiropita by laying a phyllo sheet on all four sides of the baking dish.
- Each sheet should partially cover the bottom of the dish, with the rest hanging over the edge.
- Brush every piece of phyllo that you lay on the dish with oil.
- Place five sheets in the center, brushing each phyllo dough with oil. Add the spinach filling and spread it out evenly.
- Place five more sheets of phyllo over the filling, brushing each with oil, then fold over the overhanging sheets that you started with.
- Cut any excess phyllo away with a sharp knife and use your pastry brush to tuck the phyllo in around the edges of the dish.
- Score the top with a sharp knife, marking the pieces you wish to cut later. Sprinkle with a little water.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the phyllo is golden brown.
- Allow the spanakotiropita to cool down before serving.