Grandma's Spanakopita with Homemade Phyllo Dough

Name: Grandma's Spanakopita with Homemade Phyllo Dough
Total time: 10800 s
Yield: 20-25 pieces
Ingredients: 6 handfuls all-purpose flour (about 3 cups/375 grams); 4 handfuls whole wheat flour (about 2 cups/250 grams); 1 pinch salt; 1/2 cup olive oil (120 ml); Water, as needed to make a soft dough; 1 1/3-1 3/4 lbs spinach (600-800 grams); 2 large leeks; 4 green onions; Dill; 2 eggs; 1 little grated dry mizithra cheese; 9-10 oz feta cheese (250-300 grams); Salt, pepper; Olive oil for assembling the pie

Spir_G @cook_14680286

My grandmother was born in Karpenisi and grew up in Lamia, where traditional pies are made with many thin, homemade phyllo layers between the filling, giving a unique and delicious result. I’ve tweaked her recipe a bit by adding some whole wheat flour to the dough. Try it and you’ll never want another spanakopita recipe again!

Spir_G @cook_14680286

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Ingredients

1.5-2 hours prep and 1 hour baking

20-25 pieces

For the dough
6 handfulsall-purpose flour (about 3 cups/375 grams)
4 handfulswhole wheat flour (about 2 cups/250 grams)
1 pinchsalt
1/2 cupolive oil (120 ml)
Water, as needed to make a soft dough
For the filling
1 1/3-1 3/4 lbsspinach (600-800 grams)
2large leeks
4green onions
Dill
2eggs
1little grated dry mizithra cheese
9-10 ozfeta cheese (250-300 grams)
Salt, pepper
Olive oil for assembling the pie

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Steps

1.5-2 hours prep and 1 hour baking

1

For the dough: In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except the water and mix lightly by hand. Gradually add water and knead until a dough forms. Keep kneading until the dough is soft and no longer sticks to your hands. Shape the dough into 8 or 9 round balls, place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rest in a warm spot for about 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
2

Wash and finely chop the leeks and green onions in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt, mix well, and set aside. Clean and finely chop the spinach in another colander, then rinse thoroughly with plenty of water. Let it drain well.
3

Clean and finely chop the spinach in another colander, then rinse thoroughly with plenty of water. Let it drain well.
4

In a large bowl, add the well-drained spinach, leeks, green onions, dill, mizithra, feta, beaten eggs, and pepper. Mix everything very well so all the ingredients are combined.
5

To roll out the phyllo: Lightly flour your work surface, place one dough ball on the flour, and use a thin rolling pin to roll it out as thin as possible. The first two sheets for the bottom of the pan and the last two for the top should be rolled out a bit larger than your baking pan.
6

To assemble the pie: In a large round baking pan, brush the bottom with a little olive oil to coat it well. Lay one phyllo sheet in the pan with the edges hanging over the sides, drizzle with a little olive oil, then lay a second sheet on top, drizzle again with olive oil, and spread a little filling over it.
7

Continue layering phyllo, olive oil, and filling until the filling is used up. After adding the last layer of filling, fold the overhanging phyllo edges into the pan, then place the last two phyllo sheets on top, folding them inward and tucking them under the pie. Score the pie into small square pieces and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 1 hour.
8

The pie is ready when it is golden brown on top and bottom, and the phyllo is crisp. Once you take it out of the oven, let it cool slightly before cutting and removing from the pan so it doesn’t get soggy.