Craving a taste of the Mediterranean? Prepare to embark on a culinary journey to create Spanakopita, the iconic Greek spinach pie, where flaky layers and savory filling unite in perfect harmony.
Get ready to unlock the secrets to this golden-brown masterpiece, from mastering delicate phyllo dough to achieving the ideal balance of flavors.
Ingredients
Okay, let's talk ingredients for these awesome churros! First, you're gonna need for the cinnamon-sugar coating: 1/4 cup of caster or superfine sugar—'cause regular sugar is just too chunky—and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.
Now, for the actual churros, grab 1 cup of plain or all-purpose flour. Don't use self-raising! Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable, canola, or olive oil. The flour you use should be the same kind of all-purpose flour used when making traditional churros.
Next, get ready with 1 cup of boiling water. For frying, you'll need at least 2 cups of vegetable or canola oil—enough to really get those churros golden brown.
Finally, for the chocolate sauce, it's 1/2 cup of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips; get the cooking kind, trust me! Plus, 1/2 cup of thickened or heavy cream. Easy peasy!
Preparation
Time to get prepped, and I'll walk you through it! First, grab a large bowl—it'll be our mixing headquarters!
Next, we're going to need to thaw our spinach. If it's frozen, make sure you squeeze out all the excess water. No one wants a soggy pie, right? You can kinda think of it as giving the spinach a good, firm handshake, squeezing the water from it. You'll want to ensure no excess liquid remains, as per the recipe's instructions.
After that prep the other ingredients. Get the feta cheese crumbled and ready to go. I usually like to taste a little—quality control, you know? Dice your onions or scallions, whichever you're using, but don't start crying; it's just onions! Chop your fresh dill and parsley. Now, we're set to mix all this goodness, making sure everything is ready to combine beautifully into our delicious spanakopita filling.
Assembly
Now, we're ready to assemble our mighty spanakopita, which is my fave part cause it's where everything comes together! It's like culinary Tetris, and I'm kinda good at it. First, lightly grease your baking dish — I use a 9×13 inch pan.
Next, start layering. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the pan, brush it with melted butter, and repeat this process with 5 more sheets. Making sure the phyllo covers all the sides of the baking dish for a nice crust. Think of it as building a buttery fortress for the spinach filling!
Once you've got your base, evenly spread the spinach filling over the phyllo. Then, top it with 6 more layers of phyllo, brushing each with butter as you go. I like to think of it as tucking the spanakopita in for a comfy, golden nap.
Baking
With our spanakopita all layered up and looking gorgeous, it's time to slide this baby into the oven!
I usually bake it at 375°F (190°C) for about 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it, though! You'll want it to be a beautiful golden brown, not burnt-that's no good.
The baking time might vary depending on your oven. I always start checking around 40 minutes.
To check, I'll gently poke it with a fork. If the filling feels set and the top is golden, it's ready! If not, give it another 5-10 minutes.
Once it's done, take it out and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing-patience is a virtue! If you try to cut it too soon, it might fall apart due to the filling still being too hot and not settled. Enjoy!
Short Recipe Version
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) phyllo dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10 ounces spinach, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter, melted
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in feta cheese, eggs, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Brush a 9×13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
- Layer half of the phyllo dough sheets in the dish, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
- Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo dough.
- Layer the remaining phyllo dough sheets over the spinach mixture, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
- Score the top layer of phyllo dough into even slices.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let cool completely before slicing and serving.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
Calories: 250
Protein: 10g
Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 20g