Spanakopita

I’m Greek. No self-respecting Greek would put garlic in spanikopita, or in many other recipes for that matter. Likewise, parsley has no place in a proper spanikopita recipe. Need more feta,more Parmesan/Romano mixture, and more eggs than the author indicated. Also, no need to go to the trouble of fresh spinach. Most Greek cooks use frozen chopped spinach - suggest 40 ounces thawed and squeezed dry, then rolled in paper (or cloth) towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

Mary here again. To be more specific, for a 13 x 9 pan of spanikopita, I use 3 green onions, 1 leek (white part only), 40 oz of frozen chopped spinach, 1 handful of Parmesan, 2 handfuls of romano, 7 eggs and feta to taste - usually 8 oz at least. No need to add salt - the cheeses are salty enough. Now you’ve made real spanikopita!

This is a lot like other spanakopita recipes I have tried that turned out watery and bland. I always add lots of fresh dill and a bit of lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Plus, as a Greek friend advised, I add a tablespoon or two of dry rice to the filling. The rice soaks up some of the liquid and almost seems to melt into the filling so you won't even know it is there.

To get rid of the excess spinach liquid, use a ricer -- in batches if necessary. A simple squeeze removes the liquid.

I read through all of the comments (like I normally do to make sure a recipe is as close to perfection the first time) and here’s a synopsis: - don’t use garlic or white onion for authenticity - add 1x lemon zest tons dill - use 2x packages of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted so you squeeze out excess moisture. - add 2 Tb white rice at very end to help all the excess moisture go somewhere besides the crust. Honestly, it was so crisp, so easy and darn delicious.

I made this recipe as is and it was delicious. Will add, however, that cooking time in my oven was more like 30 minutes than 50 minutes. I took it out when the crust was nice and brown. I you want to be a purist and use someone's traditional recipe, no problem, but I am reviewing THIS recipe, and I would definitely make it again.

The Greek wife here again: We only use Greek feta, sheep/goat blend, and not the well-known brand. It is imported from Greece and sold at a local market chain. My husband Dimitris is the son of several generations of Greek shepherds in Thebes, Hostia (Prodromos). He worked with the family through his childhood and adolescence. He knows his feta.

As a Cretan I agree with Mary. Never Garlic. Rarely yellow onion in this dish. Only scallions and dill and cheeses and egg. Always get (squeeze) moisture out of spinach BEFORE adding to cheese, egg, scallion, dill mixture.

I'm Greek, too, and we need to stop being so precious about our dishes. There are probably as many varieties of spanakopita as there are Greek cooks, although I confess that I, too, have never heard of garlic in it. Parsley gives it a nice freshness. I use fresh spinach, wilted, parsley, eggs, feta, and either scallions or chopped onions sauteed in olive oil. I usually make spanakopites, filo triangles, rather than spanakopita, because while they're more work they're even better.

Add cottage cheese to mitigate the saltiness of the feta and some fresh dill and it’s complete ! And you may also like to add some sesame seeds on top of the phyllo. Delicious! My mom was an off the boat Cretan and that’s how she made it!! Sooooo good.

The best recipe is In the original Moosewood cook book. I make it every Easter for my Sicilian family with, of course, leg of lamb. Use ricotta, feta and frozen spinach and all the rest, onions no garlic. I make it in the morning right after Mass so I can bake it immediately before serving and there is no sogginess at all.

Just looked this up to suggest getting rid of moisture. My mom put it in a pillowcase and put it on the spin cycle in the washing machine. CANNOT have soggy spanakopita... ALSO.. NEVER put garlic in this recipe..

Why are you (US) guys so obsessed with garlic? It is true that you can find it in many mediterranean cuisine recipies, but it should not be as ubiquitous as salt (!) More important than that, garlic is a very strong flavour that, yes, makes your dishes flavourful, but obliterates all the rest of ingredients which will end up tasting all the same. Mediterranean cuisines are made of many fantastic ingredients that should be balanced with care and are best enjoyed when used in a very simple way.

Simple is best- olive oil, frozen spinach, squeezed dry, onion, a bit of bread crumbs, add eggs, feta, and pot cheese ( I use cottage). From a 1960s St Paul’s (Long Island) Greek Orthodox church cookbook. Always a bunch in my freezer and always rave reviews.

I forgot to mention. If spanokopita is room temperature and it is cooked at 375 for 50 minutes it will be dessicated.