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Greek Spinach Pie (Spanikopita)

Are there any dishes that you’ll order at a restaurant a hundred times, but never make for yourself at home? Spanakopita is that dish for me. If you’ve never had a Greek spinach pie (spanakopita), it’s a delicacy made with spinach, feta cheese, and crispy pastry. It sounds like heaven right?

This simple recipe has only nine ingredients and you can use store bought phyllo dough! Phyllo dough is a great lower fat alternative to the puff pastry that is commonly used to enclose this spinach pie.

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This recipe is a lot less complicated than traditional Greek spinach pie. Some spanakopita recipes require shaping small, individual triangles. This recipe makes one big pie, which you can slice into individual portions right before serving. And when you bring the whole pie to table… it’s a showstopper!

There are couple of tricks to using phyllo dough. You’ll need to let frozen dough thaw before using it, so move the package to the fridge the night before (or leave it on your counter while you prepare the rest of your meal). Phyllo tends to dry out quickly; while you work, spread a clean, slightly damp dish towel over the unused stack of dough to keep it moist and pliable. Handle the very thin sheets gently to prevent tears. This recipe stacks the sheets on top of each other, so even if you do end up with a few rips in the dough, the next layer will cover it right up.

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Greek Spinach Pie (Spanikopita)

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By: Team Beachbody
Servings
8 servings, 1 slice each
Prep Time
15 min.
Cook Time
47 min.

Ingredients:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 lbs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • Cheesecloth (or a clean dishtowel)
  • 4 tsp. olive oil, divided use
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
  • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 8 sheets phyllo dough (each approx. 12 x 17-inches), thawed, covered in a slightly damp towel

Instructions

Here are your instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

  2. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with spray. Set aside.

  3. Place spinach on cheesecloth, in small batches; squeeze dry. If you do not have cheesecloth, use a heavy duty paper towel.

  4. Finely chop spinach; place in a large bowl. Set aside.

  5. Heat 1 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

  6. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

  7. Add onion, cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to spinach; mix well. Set aside.

  8. Place phyllo on work surface. Keeping the original stack covered, remove one sheet at a time and quickly brush with 2½ tsp. oil. Place each oiled sheet in prepared pan. Some phyllo should be hanging off the edge. Repeat with remaining phyllo, completely lining pan.

  9. Add spinach mixture; smooth top. Fold phyllo over spinach and brush top of phyllo with remaining ½ tsp. oil.

  10. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until spinach mixture is firm and phyllo dough is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing sides of the pan.

  11. Cut into eight slices; serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

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Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 201
Total Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg
Sodium: 526 mg
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 2 g
Protein: 11 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions
½ Vegetable
½ Grain Carb
½ Dairy

P90X3 Portions
½ Protein
1½ Carb
½ Fat

Body Beast Portions
1½ Vegetable
1 Protein
1 Starch
½ Fat

Containers
1 Green
1 Yellow
½ Blue
½ tsp.

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