This recipe is so obvious, I can't believe it has taken me this long to try it out!. Of course you can make a delicious spanakopita with a mix of garden greens, it isn't just for spinach! I got my inspiration and this recipe from chef Sohla El-Waylly. Check out her mixed greens spanakopita video on instagram. It's very helpful if you want to see how she works with the phyllo. Also, she's very entertaining.
My life is forever changed now that I've learned that the secret to a perfect spanakopita is rice! Yeah! With all those greens, you need something to soak up all that extra liquid. The rice perfectly soaks up all the extra liquid from the greens and leaves you with a moist yet structurally sound slice of pie.
I made this with nearly 50/50 swiss chard and carrot greens, plus a few beet greens, some basil, and a handful of mint. This is a great recipe for you first time phyllo people out there, as you can epically mess it up and it will still turn out.
Just look at how beaitufully crispy this is
Mixed Greens Spanakopita
1 pound chopped tender greens and herbs – (mint, basil, swiss chard, kale, beet greens, carrot tops, turnip greens, etc)
1/2 cup white rice, rinsed, soaked for 10-15minutes, and crushed in a mortar or pulsed a few times in a food processor
3 spring onions
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
8 ounces feta cheese
6 to 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
¼ cup melted butter or olive oil for brushing
10-inch cast iron skillet or glass baking dish
Preheat oven to 400F
You need 1 pound of fresh, tender greens. I’m sorry, but you need a scale! Make sure to remove any woody or bitter stems from your greens. We used most of the swiss chard stems, but would probably try and remove most of the kale stems, for example. Wash, dry, and finely chop your greens, set aside in a large bowl.
Sauté the green onion and garlic in olive oil, in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until tender. Dump the hot oil and onion mixture on top of your greens, mix thoroughly to allow the greens to wilt from the heat. Whisk an egg in a small bowl and add to your greens. Season with salt. Crumble the feta cheese over top and add your crushed rice. Stir to combine.
Okay, time to get into the phyllo. First, with your fingers or a pastry brush, brush the melted butter all over the inside of your cast iron skillet or baking dish. Unwrap the phyllo and lay flat, keep covered with a damp (not sopping wet) dish towel. Take one large piece of phyllo and lay across your baking dish, pressing in lightly, it will likely rip a little. Let the dough drape over the edges. Brush with a thing layer of butter and top with another phyllo, but place in a different direction so that the piece that drapes over the edge covers a different part of the dish.
Butter that layer and then add another layer. Do this once more, so you have 4 layers all overlapping with melted butter in between.
Dump your greens mixture into the baking dish and level out. Layer by layer, fold the phyllo that is draping over the edge of the dish back over your filling, brushing with melted butter as you go. Then take another layer of phyllo and rip in half, then messily crumple up and place on top of your pie. Make another crumple with the other half and place beside the first. Do this again once more. Then brush the whole top with melted butter.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, until the top is golden an crispy! Let sit for 15-20 minutes before digging in, so that the pie can set. Otherwise it is still yummy, but will fall apart.
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