Spanakopita in a skillet

Spanakopita, the famous Greek phyllo pastry or pie filled with spinach and feta, might be made as small triangular parcels for special occasions or baked in large trays for serving a crowd. This version, baked in and served from a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, is doable for a weeknight dinner, yet is impressive enough for a holiday brunch. For the filling, we combine baby spinach with baby kale, which has a bolder, greener flavor that pairs well with the salty, briny feta. Phyllo is packaged either as 9-by-14-inch sheets or larger 13-by-18-inch sheets. The former can be used as is; the latter should be halved crosswise (use a chef’s knife to simply cut through the stack). You will need a total of eight phyllo sheets. As you make the filling, keep the phyllo covered with a sheet of plastic wrap then a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying. If the sheets tear as you work with them, not to worry. Scrunching them to create a pretty ruffled effect hides flaws.

Don’t add the egg-greens mixture to the sautéed leek if the skillet is still hot. We’ve found that about 10 minutes is long enough to cool the pan, but cast iron retains heat exceptionally well, so to be safe and avoid the risk of scrambling the eggs, be sure the skillet is no hotter than warm to the touch before pouring in the egg-greens mixture.

—Courtney Hill

Ingredients

3	tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided, plus 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1	pound baby spinach
8	ounces baby kale (about 9 cups lightly packed)
1	medium leek, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, rinsed and drained
4	medium garlic cloves, chopped
	Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3	large eggs
8	ounces feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
1	cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
1	cup lightly packed fresh dill, chopped
8	9-by-14-inch frozen phyllo sheets, or four 13-by-18-inch frozen phyllo sheets, thawed and halved crosswise, covered to prevent drying (see headnote)

Directions

Heat the oven to 375F with a rack in the middle position. Place a colander in a medium bowl and set near the stove.

In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high, melt 1 tablespoon whole butter. Add a few large handfuls of the spinach and kale, then cook, stirring and turning with tongs, until wilted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the colander. Wilt the remaining spinach and kale in the same way without adding more butter; set aside.

In the same skillet over medium, melt 2 tablespoons of the remaining whole butter. Add the leek, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is tender, 4 to 6 minutes (if the leek begins to brown or stick to the skillet, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water). Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs to combine. Add the feta, ricotta and dill, then whisk to combine. Using your hands, squeeze the moisture from the greens; you should have about 3 cups squeezed greens. Add the greens to the egg-cheese mixture and stir until well combined, then transfer to the skillet (it’s fine if the skillet is warm to the touch but it should not be hot). Stir to incorporate the leeks, then distribute the filling in an even layer in the pan.

Brush 1 phyllo sheet on both sides with some of the melted butter, then scrunch it loosely and place on top of the filling. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and butter, covering the entire surface of the filling. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top.

Bake until the phyllo is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Time

Start to finish: 1 hour 20 mins (40 minutes active), plus cooling

Serves

Servings: 6

Source

Milk Street Television Season 8 Episode 3, 9/25/2024