![Spanakopita, showing the filling. Spanakopita recipe, homemade spanakopita, how to make spanakopita, making spanakopita.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1280 854"></svg>)
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Hi Bold Bakers!
When it comes to savory flavor combinations, spinach and feta are a match made in heaven. Lovely fresh spinach cooked with garlic and herbs, then mixed with crumbled salty cheese, all wrapped up in a delicate pastry triangle… I’m not sure it gets better than this. What could it be?
Well, it’s my Quick and Easy Spanakopita recipe of course! If you’ve never had spanakopita or never made it at home, get ready to add it to your recipe box — permanently!
How Do You Fold Spanakopita Triangles?
Making the filling for these pretty pastry packages is really simple. You simply sauté the greens with garlic, green onion, dill, and some seasoning. After the spinach mixture comes together (in less than 10 minutes) you crumble in the cheese and add in a bit of egg. The egg and cheese bind together and make the spinach mixture creamy rich and thick.
At this point, the rest of this recipe is really just a matter of assembly. Working with phyllo dough may seem difficult if you’ve never done it before, but it really could not be easier. And the best part is that it’s perfectly good store-bought! If you buy it at the store, you’ll need to wait until it’s defrosted — but once it is, the most important part of folding the spanakopita triangles is keeping the phyllo dough moist. I do this by keeping my sheets of phyllo covered with a damp cloth AT ALL TIMES.
So, starting with one sheet, I lay it out on a flat surface, keeping the stack of phyllo I’m working with covered with the damp cloth. Then, using a pastry brush, I lightly brush the entire sheet of phyllo with butter. Don’t be tempted to overdo it with the butter as this can make the dough hard to work with.
After that, I repeat the process 4 more times. After the 4th sheet has been brushed with butter I cut the entire sheet into 5 strips lengthwise. At the bottom of each strip, I place 1 heaped tablespoon of the spinach and feta filling. From here there is no secret, I simply fold the strip up like a flag, working from the bottom up.
And that is it! If you can fold your laundry, you can make spanakopita. Once you try my easy method you will never buy these frozen from the store again. The difference in flavor is unbelievable.
![Spanakopita, showing the filling. Spanakopita recipe, homemade spanakopita, how to make spanakopita, making spanakopita.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 683 1024"></svg> "Spanakopita Recipe, ready to eat.")
What Can You Substitute The Feta or Spinach?
If you’re avoiding cheese altogether, you can substitute vegan cheese. The flavor might not be exactly the same, but it will still come out lovely and rich. If for some reason you can’t get your hands on feta cheese, you can use cotija which has a similar crumbly texture and salty bite.
If you aren’t a huge spinach fan you can use any dark leafy greens. From kale to collard greens, there are lots of things besides spinach.
Can You Make Your Own Phyllo Dough?
I don’t think there is really any reason not to use store-bought phyllo dough, as it is exactly the same as, if not better than, homemade. The time this saves is incredible and is the difference between an easy appetizer to make and a more challenging one.
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