### A Taste of Greece: Spanakopita with a Refreshing Tzatziki Sauce
Hello, lovely readers! Today, I’ve got something truly special for you—Spanakopita, a classic Greek dish that never fails to impress. This dish always brings back fond memories of my travels to Greece, where the food is just as vibrant and inviting as the people. Trust me, one bite of this delicious pastry and you’ll be transported straight to a sunny taverna by the Aegean Sea.
Spanakopita, for those who might not be familiar, is a delightful savory pie made with layers of crispy, buttery phyllo pastry and a filling of spinach, herbs, and tangy feta cheese. Pair it with a cool, creamy Tzatziki Sauce, and you have a match made in culinary heaven.
Let’s dive into the recipe, shall we?
#### For the Spanakopita
**Ingredients:**
* 500g frozen spinach, thawed and drained
* 200g feta cheese, crumbled
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* 2 large eggs, beaten
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* Salt, to taste
* Black pepper, to taste
* 1 pack phyllo pastry (approx. 500g)
* 100g unsalted butter, melted
**Method:**
1. **Prepare the Filling:**
– Start by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
– Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until it’s beautifully translucent.
– Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
– Throw in the thawed and drained spinach, cooking for about 5 minutes, until any excess moisture evaporates.
– Remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
– In a large bowl, combine the cooled spinach mixture with crumbled feta cheese, beaten eggs, fresh dill, fresh parsley, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
2. **Assemble the Spanakopita:**
– Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
– Brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with some melted butter.
– Unroll the phyllo pastry and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. This step is crucial—no one likes brittle phyllo!
– Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry in the baking dish and brush it lightly with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering and buttering each sheet, until you have used about half of the phyllo sheets.
– Spread the spinach and feta mixture evenly over the layered phyllo.
– Continue layering the remaining phyllo sheets on top of the filling, again brushing each sheet with melted butter.
– Once all the phyllo sheets are layered, brush the top layer generously with melted butter. Tuck in any excess phyllo around the edges.
3. **Bake the Spanakopita:**
– Using a sharp knife, score the top layer of phyllo into squares or diamonds to make cutting easier after baking.
– Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy.
– Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
#### For the Tzatziki Sauce
**Ingredients:**
* 1 cup Greek yogurt
* 1 medium cucumber, grated and drained
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
* Salt, to taste
* Black pepper, to taste
**Method:**
1. In a medium bowl, combine the grated and drained cucumber, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and black pepper.
2. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
### Final Thoughts
I can’t wait for you to try this Spanakopita with Tzatziki Sauce. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner at home, yet impressive enough to serve at a dinner party. Plus, it’s a great way to get those greens in while treating yourself to something utterly scrumptious.
As always, I love hearing from you, so do let me know how it turns out in the comments below. And if you have any variations or tips, feel free to share them too. Cooking is all about experimenting and sharing the love, after all.
Until next time, happy cooking!
Love, Al
Ingredients
### For the Spanakopita:
– 500g frozen spinach, thawed and drained
– 200g feta cheese, crumbled
– 1 medium onion, finely chopped
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
– 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
– 2 large eggs, beaten
– 1 teaspoon nutmeg
– Salt, to taste
– Black pepper, to taste
– 1 pack phyllo pastry (approx. 500g)
– 100g unsalted butter, melted
### For the Tzatziki Sauce:
– 1 cup Greek yogurt
– 1 medium cucumber, grated and drained
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
– Salt, to taste
– Black pepper, to taste
Method
### Method:
#### For the Spanakopita:
1. **Prepare the Filling:**
– In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
– Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until translucent.
– Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
– Add the thawed and drained spinach to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, until any excess moisture evaporates.
– Remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
– In a large bowl, combine the cooled spinach mixture with crumbled feta cheese, beaten eggs, fresh dill, fresh parsley, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
2. **Assemble the Spanakopita:**
– Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
– Brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with some melted butter.
– Unroll the phyllo pastry and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.
– Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry in the baking dish and brush it lightly with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering and buttering each sheet, until you have used about half of the phyllo sheets.
– Spread the spinach and feta mixture evenly over the layered phyllo.
– Continue layering the remaining phyllo sheets on top of the filling, again brushing each sheet with melted butter.
– Once all the phyllo sheets are layered, brush the top layer generously with melted butter. Tuck in any excess phyllo around the edges.
3. **Bake the Spanakopita:**
– Using a sharp knife, score the top layer of phyllo into squares or diamonds to make cutting easier after baking.
– Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy.
– Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
#### For the Tzatziki Sauce:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the grated and drained cucumber, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and black pepper.
2. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve the Spanakopita warm with a dollop of refreshing Tzatziki Sauce on the side. Enjoy!
