Hello Bogging Friends & Family!

Welcome to the relaunch of Ellie Bleu.

If you’re new to the website, feel welcome to learn more About Me. I hope you enjoy this savory recipe.

Spanakopita is a popular Greek spinach filo pie that can be used as a substitute for quiche. It’s perfect for your brunches and celebrations. Imagine layers of golden, crisp filo pastry that shatter under your fork, giving way to a warm, savory filling of spinach, fresh herbs, and creamy feta. Each bite is a balance of flaky crunch and the smooth, slightly tangy richness of cheese and greens. In fact, it’s the first dish that came to mind when I was relaunching Ellie Bleu.

The pie can be served as an appetizer (meze) or the main course. Usually, I serve the pie with a Greek Potato Salad. I ate it nearly every day as a young student living in Athens. It was a way for me to stop by the local bakery before class and listen to the latest gossip in my charming neighborhood of Mets.

Here’s a glance at my recipe journal from Greece. The photo captures me perfectly, realizing that I’d rather be reading a book at the beach than at our classes’ archaeological dig site. I wish I could tell my younger self, “Pay attention!” Who knew twenty years later I’d be writing a manuscript about what I had discovered.

Read more for the complete ingredient list, tips and directions.

Spanakopita

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Yield: 6 servings    Prep Time: 20 minutes    Bake Time: 40 minutes plus 15 minutes cool time

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Ingredients:

24 oz. of frozen, chopped, spinach, thawed *

4 spring onions (scallions), chopped

11 oz. fresh feta cheese, crumbled

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tbsp chopped fresh leaf parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

8 sheets of filo pastry, each measuring 9×14 in, thawed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Drain liquid from thawed spinach in a fine-mesh sieve, then squeeze moisture out inside of a cheesecloth or layers of paper towels until dry.

2. Place the spinach in a large bowl with the spring onions and feta cheese, then add the beaten eggs and stir them thoroughly. Mix in the fresh herbs. Season with freshly ground pepper. (There’s no need for salt because the feta is salty)

3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with oil and fit it into a 9 inch pie dish, allowing it to hang over the edges. Add 4 more sheets, placing them in the pie dish at different angles, and brushing each layer with a generous amount of olive oil.

4. Spoon the spinach filling into the pie dish, then top with all but one of the remaining filo sheets, again, brushing each layer with a generous amount of olive oil. Fold the overhanging filo pastry over the top sheets to seal the pie. Brush the last filo sheet with olive oil and scrunch it over the pie. (My favorite part 🙂 )

5. Brush the top of the pie with olive oil. Sprinkle water on top of the pie to prevent curling, and place in the oven. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until filo is golden and crisp. Allow the pie to cool 15 minutes before serving.

Kali Orexi! Enjoy your meal!

 * Tips: Traditionally, you would get spinach from your garden or your local market. I honestly prefer to use the frozen kind if I’m back in the U.S. Frozen spinach is convenient and easier to squeeze out the moisture before preparing. If you are lucky to have fresh spinach on hand, here’s what I was taught in Greece:

• Ensure the spinach is cleaned thoroughly by rinsing in cold water and draining several times. Then pat dry with paper towels to make sure all of the dirt particles are gone.
• Break off any thick stalks from the spinach, then blanch the leaves in a very small amount of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain the spinach and shock it in a cold water bath. Drain again, squeeze the spinach dry with paper towels, and roughly chop it.