Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Method

1. Prepare the filling by wilting the spinach in a large pot (it takes 2 minutes), then draining and squeezing in a clean towel until bone-dry. Combine with crumbled feta, scallions, dill, beaten eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The filling should be cohesive but not wet.

2. Brush a 9x13 baking dish with melted butter. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo in the dish, brushing each sheet with butter before adding the next. The sheets may hang over the edges — that's fine, you'll fold them in later. Each buttered layer creates an air pocket that puffs and crisps in the oven.

3. Spread the spinach filling evenly over the phyllo base. Fold any overhanging edges over the filling.

4. Layer 8 more sheets of phyllo on top, brushing each with butter. Tuck the edges down the sides of the dish. Score the top into squares or diamonds with a sharp knife — cut through the top phyllo layers but not into the filling.

5. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes until the phyllo is deeply golden and crispy. The layers should be puffed and shattering. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting along the scored lines.

Equipment

• 9x13 baking dish
• Clean kitchen towel (for squeezing spinach)
• Pastry brush Recommended: OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush
• Sharp knife Recommended: Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife · Also good: Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife
• Stockpot Recommended: Tramontina 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Squeeze the wilted spinach very dry — wring it in a clean towel until no more water comes out. Wet spinach makes soggy phyllo, and soggy phyllo is the death of spanakopita. This is the step most people skip, and it's the step that matters most.
• Keep unused phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Phyllo dries out in minutes and becomes brittle and unusable. Work quickly and keep the stack covered.
• Brush every single layer with melted butter. The butter between layers is what creates the flaky, shattering texture. Skip layers and you get dense, papery pastry.
• Score the top layers with a sharp knife before baking. This makes cutting the finished spanakopita much easier — trying to cut through crispy phyllo after baking shatters the layers.
• Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting. The filling sets slightly and the layers hold together better.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Butter	Ghee or olive oil	Ghee for similar richness. Olive oil for dairy-free.
Feta	Goat cheese or ricotta salata	Goat cheese is creamier. Ricotta salata is milder.
Scallions	Chives or thinly sliced leek greens	Chives are milder. Leek greens are closest in flavor.

What You're Practicing

Working with phyllo dough teaches you about laminated pastry — building layers of fat and dough that puff and crisp in the oven. The same principle (in a more complex form) is behind puff pastry, croissants, and strudel. Visit Pastry Foundations for more on layered doughs.

Squeezing moisture from cooked vegetables before using them in pastry is a technique that applies to quiche, pot pies, empanadas, and any filled pastry. Excess moisture makes pastry soggy from the inside out. Visit Techniques for more on moisture management.