Ina Garten spinach pie, an easy make ahead side dish, came from her friend Brent Newsom’s catering kitchen in Bridgehampton. She loads buttered phyllo with spinach, feta, pine nuts, and nutmeg for a dinner party recipe with more filling than spanakopita.
The dish falls apart if the spinach still holds water, so squeeze every drop from those three defrosted packages before mixing. Serve it at room temperature or reheat gently, because the phyllo stays crispier that way.
Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)
Ina Garten Spinach Pie
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes1
hour15
minutes545
kcalA flaky phyllo crust holds a rich spinach filling loaded with cubed feta, pine nuts, Parmesan, and nutmeg, baked until golden brown and set in the center.
Ingredients
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
6 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 pound good feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
1/4 pound salted butter, melted
6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook the onions: In a medium sauté pan on medium heat, sauté the onions with the olive oil until translucent and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.
- Make the filling: Squeeze out and discard as much of the liquid from the spinach as possible. Put the spinach into a bowl and then gently mix in the onions, eggs, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, feta, and pignoli.
- Assemble the pie: Butter an ovenproof, nonstick, 8-inch sauté pan and line it with 6 stacked sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with melted butter and letting the edges hang over the pan. Pour the spinach mixture into the middle of the phyllo and neatly fold the edges up and over the top to seal in the filling.
- Bake and serve: Brush the top well with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
FAQs
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Fresh spinach works, but you need about 2 1/2 pounds to equal three frozen packages once it wilts down. Cook it in a large pot until fully wilted, then drain and squeeze dry. Frozen is easier since it’s already broken down and ready to squeeze.
How long does spinach pie keep?
The baked pie stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days, tightly wrapped. Reheat slices in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp the phyllo back up. It does not freeze well because the phyllo turns soggy once thawed.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the filling a day in advance and refrigerate it. Assemble and bake right before serving for the crispiest phyllo. Once baked, it tastes great at room temperature for several hours, so bake it that morning and serve it at dinner.
What size pan should I use?
The recipe calls for an 8-inch ovenproof sauté pan. A 9-inch pie plate works too, but the filling will be thinner and may need 10 fewer minutes in the oven. Just watch for a golden top and a set center.
Why is my spinach pie soggy on the bottom?
The most likely cause is not squeezing enough water from the defrosted spinach. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring it hard until no more liquid drips out. Brushing the bottom phyllo sheets generously with melted butter also helps create a moisture barrier.
