Spanakopita is one of the most famous dishes of Greece. Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – served hot or cold: a piece of Greek spinach pie is always a delight. The dish is so popular that every region and especially every family has its own special recipe. This recipe comes straight from Greece, shared by our olive farmer and excellent cook Voula.
Ingredients for the dough (for one tray):
- 800 g wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 cup MANI Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Selection
- some water
Ingredients for the filling:
- 1 kg spinach leaves (washed and cleaned)
- 200 g feta cheese
- 1 bunch of spring onions
- some olive oil, salt, pepper, and ground anise
Preparation:
- For the dough: Knead all the ingredients into a soft dough. Place in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rest in a cool place for one hour.
- For the filling: Cut the spring onions into thin rings. Heat olive oil in a hot pan, sauté the spring onions over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add ground anise, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for another 2 minutes on low heat. Remove from the stove and fold in the diced feta cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F) top and bottom heat. Grease the baking tray with olive oil or line it with baking paper.
- Roll out about 3/4 of the dough thinly for the base. The rolled-out dough should be the size of the baking tray plus 2 cm edge.Place the dough in the tray, press the edges slightly, and brush with some olive oil.
- Spread the spinach filling evenly over the dough and smooth it out. Roll out the remaining dough, place it over the filling, press slightly, and brush with olive oil.
- Bake the Spanakopita for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown.
Mani Tip:
In Greece, Spanakopita is often served with olives. Alternatively, a fresh green salad pairs wonderfully!
Feel free to use other green vegetables for the filling, such as Swiss chard. Herbs like dill and parsley are also excellent additions.
