Image via Wikipedia

Every mom has that one meal that is usually inferior when trying to eat it elsewhere. With my mother it is her Greek spanakopita recipe. She learned how to do it from her family but changed some things to appeal to our tastes. She often uses lower fat versions but fills the pita with flavor using dill and scallions as the main seasoning. I have yet to make a version that is as good as hers, but I always try.

I convinced her to give me the recipe so you can try it. My suggestion is that you make it as described the first time around and then adjust the ingredients and seasonings to suit your own palate. For example, my family loves the mild onion flavor the scallions bring but not everyone likes that and not every spanakopita recipe includes it. The basic recipe for spanakopita is spinach, feta, and filo.

Note that I listed the low fat substitutions at the bottom of the recipe. My mother only makes the full fat version if she’s taking it somewhere. Otherwise, she sticks with the low fat variation.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fillo, defrosted in refrigerator if frozen

3, 10 oz. packages of spinach, washed and thoroughly dried

7 large eggs

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin (should yield about 1 cup)

1 lb. feta cheese, crumbled

1 tsp. dried dill or 1 tbs. fresh, chopped dill

½ pound butter, melted

Instructions:

Note: I use a 15 inch round pan. If you want to use something rectangular, use a 10×16 pan or something comparable.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean spinach and cut off the stems. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Whisk eggs together in a medium mixing bowl and add to the spinach. Add scallions, crumbled feta, and dill. Toss with your hands or a pair of tongs until all the ingredients are well blended. Melt butter in the microwave or stove top (don’t burn it!). Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom of the pan with a layer of butter. Place two sheets of fillo on the pan so that the bottom is completely covered and brush with butter. Place two more sheets of fillo down on the pan and brush with butter. Repeat two more times until eight sheets line the bottom. Spread spinach mixture evenly over the fillo. If the fillo is going over the sides of the pan, fold it over the spinach mixture. Place two sheets of fillo on top of the spinach and brush with butter. Repeat until there is no more fillo left. Pour remaining butter over the top. Cut three diagonal slits across the top and bake uncovered for an hour until golden brown on the top.

Low fat substitutions. You could use less butter, light butter. You could use half fat free cottage cheese and ½ lb. of feta instead of all feta.