Spinach Pie - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Why is my spanakopita soggy? ›

Let's face it, nobody wants to eat a soggy spanakopita. But this doesn't have to be your fate if you follow a few simple tips. Firstly, making sure you squeeze all the excess moisture out of your spinach. This is the case with fresh and frozen spinach.

What is in the spanakopita filling? The key filling ingredients in a classic spanakopita recipe are spinach and feta cheese. And yes, only use quality feta cheese, no other cheese qualifies for spanakopita. To the spinach and feta, we add flavor makers in the form of fresh herbs and aromatics.

Spinach pies can last up to 7 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. In the freezer, these mini spinach pies will last for up to 3 months. Whether you refrigerate or freeze them, make sure to place parchment paper between the layers of pies so that they don't stick together.

Spanakopita has something of a buttery, earthy, and wholesome-tasting flavor thanks to its flaky pastry and thick spinach filling. The salty feta can add a briny complexity to the taste, too, according to The Kitchn. It frequently contains fresh oregano and dill among other herbs, lemon, and scallions.

When you're ready to cook them, continue with step 10. No need to defrost before baking.

Keep Phyllo From Drying Out

Once phyllo dries out it cracks and shatters like centuries old parchment. There's nothing you can do to save it. Likewise, soggy phyllo produces a mess of another kind. To keep the sheets from drying out, place a clean, damp (not wet) towel over the stack of phyllo sheets.

Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie typically containing cheese such as feta and/or ricotta. Our version is low in calories while high in fibre, iron and calcium. It's also diabetes-friendly and suitable for vegetarians.

In my Spanakopita recipe, I love using a mix of feta and kefalotiri, scallions, dill, and mint. The salty, briny, and aromatic flavors make this pie incredibly delicious. In Greece, you can find Spanakopita in windows of street-side coffee shops and bakeries and more refined versions on restaurant menus.

Dill and Fresh Herbs: Nature's Flavor Enhancers

The inclusion of dill and other fresh herbs in spanakopita not only elevates its taste but also contributes to its nutritional value. Dill is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as minerals like calcium and manganese.

The best side dishes to serve with Spanakopita are Greek salad, Tzatziki, hummus, Greek yogurt, cheese dip, southwest salad dressing, falafel, roasted vegetables, lemon roasted potatoes, Greek rice, Mediterranean quinoa salad, and orzo salad.

Can you eat spanakopita the next day? ›

The Spanakopita can be made ahead and left in the refrigerator, covered, for a day, then baked when you're ready. Or you can make it ahead and fully bake it, let it cool completely, and refrigerate. Then when you're ready to serve just reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through.

Like spanakopia, tiropita is also a savory Greek pie that's wrapped in a phyllo crust, but its filling is different than spanakopita. Instead of spinach, herbs, and feta, tiropita is filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs.

Tiropita is celebrated for its creamy, cheesy filling, often a blend of various cheeses like feta and ricotta. Spanakopita, however, combines the earthy tones of spinach with the saltiness of feta cheese, creating a balanced, savory experience.

Aussie home chef Merna shared a TikTok video that has now gone viral, claiming the $6.99 Spanakopita is the German supermarket chain's 'best kept secret'. “I'm going to share a little secret with you, and it's this spanakopita from Aldi and it's made in Greece,” Merna said in the clip.

The air circulating underneath the phyllo will prevent them from becoming soggy. Keep phyllo cups on a wire rack until ready to serve. If you've got extra phyllo to use up and are looking for another appetizer idea, check out these cute little fig and goat cheese bites!

Phyllo dough dries out super fast. Lay a damp (NOT wet) kitchen towel over the phyllo sheets while you are putting together your recipe. Make sure the towel is just slightly damp, enough to give the phyllo dough a little moisture so it doesn't dry out.

The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.