Name: The Fish Market | Southsides Sophia's "Spanakopita" Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 12 cups fresh baby spinach; 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled; 1 cups ricotta cheese (or full-fat Greek yogurt); 1 cups onion, finely chopped; 3 tbs garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbs fresh dill, chopped; 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped; 2 eggs, large; 1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbs olive oil or butter (for sautéing); 18 sheets phyllo dough sheets (about 16-20, thawed if frozen); 8 tbs unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil); 1 tsp all-purpose flour (for dusting and sealing); 1 tsp vegetable oil spray (optional, for easier brushing)

Method

Filling

1
Prepare the spinach
Wash spinach thoroughly. Roughly chop if leaves are large. Place spinach in a large pot over medium heat (no added water) and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3–5 minutes. Transfer wilted spinach to a colander and press or squeeze with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid. You should be left with concentrated cooked spinach; squeeze further with clean hands or press between plates until most moisture is out. Reserve.
2
Sauté aromatics
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
3
Combine filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained spinach, sautéed onion and garlic, crumbled feta, ricotta (or yogurt), chopped dill and parsley. Beat the two eggs lightly and stir into the mixture. Add nutmeg, salt and black pepper and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning — feta is salty, so you may want to reduce added salt. If mixture seems too wet, squeeze again to remove more liquid or add an extra tablespoon of ricotta to bind.

Phyllo & Assembly

4
Prepare phyllo and pan
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish. Keep phyllo sheets covered with a lightly damp towel to prevent drying.
5
Layer phyllo
Brush the bottom of the prepared pan with about 1 tablespoon melted butter. Lay one phyllo sheet in the pan, letting edges hang over if desired. Brush that sheet lightly with melted butter. Repeat layering and brushing for 6 to 8 phyllo sheets to form a sturdy bottom crust (about half of your total sheets). Be gentle—phyllo is delicate.
6
Add filling
Spread the spinach-feta filling evenly over the layered phyllo in the pan, leaving about 1/2 inch border.
7
Top layers
Layer remaining phyllo sheets over the filling, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go. Use 6 to 8 sheets for the top, or until you have used most sheets and reserved a few for a final crisp layer. Tuck any overhanging phyllo into the sides to seal. Lightly dust the top with the teaspoon of flour (this helps absorb excess butter and encourage browning).
8
Score and rest
Using a sharp knife, score the top phyllo into squares or diamonds all the way to the bottom (this will make cutting after baking much easier). If you like, brush the top with an additional tablespoon of melted butter for deeper color.
9
Bake
Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color. If edges brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
10
Rest and serve
Remove from oven and let rest 10–15 minutes so filling sets. Cut along the scored lines and serve warm or at room temperature. Spanakopita is excellent with a squeeze of lemon, a light green salad, and extra yogurt or tzatziki if desired.

Sophia's "spanakopita" Recipe

Ingredients

Filling

Phyllo & Assembly

Method

Filling

Prepare the spinach

Sauté aromatics

Combine filling

Phyllo & Assembly

Prepare phyllo and pan

Layer phyllo

Add filling

Top layers

Score and rest

Bake

Rest and serve

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