Spiraled Spanakopita With Feta
The first thing you’ll notice about this savory Greek pie — called striftí spanakotyrópita in its homeland — is its alluring spiraled form. But the shape serves a purpose beyond aesthetics: It amplifies the irresistible contrast between the crunch of the crust and the tenderness of the filling by increasing the surface area of the flaky, golden, olive-oil-varnished phyllo that encases the herbaceous greens. A handful of dried currants balances the salty cheese, and fresh parsley helps bring it all to life. If you’re lucky enough to have a Greek grocery nearby, look for frozen “country-style” phyllo, which is thicker and more tender than the paper-thin variety found in most supermarkets, making it closer to the handmade dough preferred by Greek cooks.
Yield
6
Time
10 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 (10-ounce) or 2 (1-pound) packages frozen spinach, thawed (see Tip)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 large shallots, cut into 1/8-inch slices, or 2 medium yellow onions, quartered and very thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup/35 grams dried Zante currants or chopped black raisins
2 tablespoons dried dill
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 cup/200 grams ricotta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 to 10 ounces feta, preferably Greek sheep’s milk, crumbled (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups)
1 pound/454 grams frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed (see Tip)
Instructions
Step 1
Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
Put the thawed spinach in a nut-milk bag, fine-mesh sieve or clean kitchen towel you don’t mind staining. Squeeze and discard as much excess liquid from the spinach as you can. Set the drained spinach aside.
Step 3
In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium until it shimmers. Add the shallots, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring every minute or so, until soft and translucent but not brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 4
Off heat, stir in the parsley, currants, dill, mint, oregano and coriander. Add the drained spinach and stir, breaking up any large clusters of greens. Add the ricotta and mix well to cool the mixture.
Step 5
Lightly beat the eggs, then reserve 1 tablespoon of the eggs in a small bowl to use as an egg wash later. Add the remaining eggs and the feta to the spinach mixture; stir until well combined. Set the filling aside.
Step 6
Position a rack just below the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Clear a work surface so that you have a space at least 34 inches wide by 16 inches deep to set up the phyllo.
Step 7
Using half the dough, you want to create a rectangle of overlapping phyllo that’s 34 inches wide and 12 to 14 inches deep. Lay a sheet of phyllo at the far right of your work surface so that the edge that’s 12 to 14 inches long is vertical. Use a pastry brush to dab olive oil onto the dough; the coverage should be patchy and imperfect. Place a second sheet over the first, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches uncovered on the right. Oil this sheet as you did the first and repeat this offset overlapping and oiling process with half of the phyllo until the total width of connected sheets is 34 inches.
Step 8
Use a large spoon to evenly scatter half of the filling in a horizontal line spanning almost the width of the dough, leaving 1 inch on the left and the right and 2 inches on the bottom edge. Use your hands to form the filling into a loose, even log that is about 32 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide.
Step 9
Fold the bottom 2 inches of phyllo over the filling, and roll away from you, pausing as you roll to brush the newly exposed, unoiled surface of the dough with oil.
Step 10
Once you have a loose, sealed cylinder, turn it so it’s seam side down, and, beginning with the right end, coax it into a spiral. Carefully transfer the spiral to the center of your parchment-lined pan.
Step 11
Make a second log, just as you did the first, using the remaining filling and phyllo. (You may end up with a few unused sheets of phyllo, which you can use for repairing any tears, if necessary.) Transfer the log to the pan, so one of its ends meets the exposed end of the existing spiral, and continue the spiral with the second log. Seal the loose end to the spiral, apply phyllo to any tears and generously brush the entire surface of the pie with oil.
Step 12
Add 1/2 teaspoon cold water to the reserved egg and beat with a fork. Lightly brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the pie, including in the spiral’s cracks. Puncture the phyllo all over using a paring knife to release steam during baking.
Step 13
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until deeply golden brown and crisp. If any oil has leaked out of the phyllo, carefully slide the pie off the parchment onto a cooling rack. Otherwise, cool directly on the pan.
Step 14
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature, with a side of sheep’s-milk yogurt, tzatziki or Greek salad. Wrap leftovers in aluminum foil or in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a toaster oven or oven.
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