This delicious Spiral Filo Pie with Spinach and Artichoke is inspired by the traditional Greek spinach pie known as spanakopita, but shaped in a more intriguing way, using a technique that is known in northern Greece as striftí, or, twisted. Layers of delicate filo are wrapped around a savory vegetable and cheese filling and twisted to form a beautiful spiral, which is then baked until crispy and golden brown.
The filling and the shape. The flavorful filling is easy to put together and consists of caramelized shallots, fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, cheeses, fresh herbs, and lemon zest. Then, instead of layering it between stacks of filo in a baking dish (the way we make the traditional Greek filo pies), we roll the filo into long rolls and twist and shape them into a spiral. The result? A spiral filo pie that is perfectly crispy and flaky in every bite!
Make this dish ahead. This flavorful spiral filo pie with spinach and artichoke is the perfect “make ahead” dish as you can assemble it ahead of time, store in the refrigerator, and bake just before dinner. If you have the time you can even bake it the day before and store it covered at room temperature to reheat gently the next day. This dish is extremely versatile and can be served as an entree, or, in smaller portions, as an appetizer.
Some Important Tips for Working with Filo Pastry
- Quality matters. Do not be intimidated by the delicate sheets of filo pastry. They might look fragile and easy to mess up, but in reality they are extremely forgiving and even when they tear, nobody will notice. Choosing a reputable brand of filo will, however, make your work much easier. I use Fillo Factory brand filo for all my filo recipes.
- Thaw the filo properly. Defrost your filo package overnight in the refrigerator and then allow it to come to room temperature before opening the package. This should take about an hour, but follow the package’s instructions. If your filo is not completely thawed, it mightcrumble and break as you work with it.
- Do not use a damp cloth. Do not cover your stack of filo with a damp cloth, as this can cause the layers of filo to stick together. I prefer to take half the filo sheets at a time from the package and keep the ones I work with covered with the plastic sheet they are wrapped in.
Essential Ingredients
- Filo pastry: good quality filo makes a big difference in this recipe (I used Fillo Factory #4 which is thin and pliable)
- Extra virgin olive oil: to sauté the shallots and to brush on the filo pastry. You could also brush melted butter on the layers of filo
- Shallots: they add a hint of sweetness to the dish when they are caramelized
- Spinach: fresh (not frozen), mature “cooking spinach” is more flavorful, but baby spinach can be used as well if that is what you have on hand
- Artichokes hearts: packed in olive oil if possible as they have more flavor (do not use marinated hearts)
- Spring onions: or you can use a small leek instead
- Seasoning: sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon zest: adds a nice fresh and bright note to the dish
- Cheeses: a combination of Greek Feta cheese and a nice, melty cheese of your choice
- Fresh herb: flat leaf parley or fresh dill can be used
- Topping: white sesame seeds for garnish
How to make the spiral filo pie
- While the filo is coming to room temperature, prepare the vegetable filling and the cheese mixture for the filo rolls
- Start assembling the filo rolls by placing spoonfuls of the filling along the long side of the filo, about one inch from the edge
- Form the filo coils by folding the filo over the filling, roll it into a log, and twist it into a spiral
- Place on the baking sheet and continue with the remaining sheets of filo to form more spirals
- Brush the top with more olive oil and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Your spiral filo pie is ready for the oven
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly
- Cut into wedges and serve!
How to serve the Spiral Filo Pie with Spinach and Artichoke
Once the spiral filo pie cools a little, it is ready to serve. You can cut it into rustic wedges and serve, or, let your guests tear a piece off the end of the spiral as a more informal way to enjoy it when you entertain.
To make a whole meal out of this vegetarian dish, serve it with a flavorful seasonal salad like a Greek peasant salad (Horiatili) or a refreshing Greek lettuce and dill salad (Maroulosalata).
For more spiral filo pie inspiration, check out the popular Traditional Greek Filo Meat Pie (Kreatopita)
What you need to know about the filo
Filo dough comes in different thicknesses. The number you see on a box of filo indicates how thick it is. The lower the number, the thinner and more delicate the filo. Lower-numbered filo requires a lighter touch with the pastry brush to avoid tearing. The most common numbers are #4 (thin and pliable) and #7 (slightly thicker, a bit easier to work with). There is also the “country style” filo, which is a much thicker kind of filo that is often used for hearty filo pies.
This recipe is in collaboration with Fillo Factory. You can find this favorite filo dough at Whole Foods and several small local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!
- ½ package of filo pastry (I use Fillo Factory brand filo)
- 10 oz. fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp. sea salt, divided
- 3-4 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, peeled, halved, and chopped
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 jar (8 oz. drained) artichokes hearts in olive oil, drained well, patted dry, chopped
- 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 4 oz. Greek Feta cheese
- 4 oz. melty cheese, grated (such as Gruyere, or Greek kefalograviera, if available)
- — extra virgin olive oil for the filo pastry
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- — white sesame seeds for garnish
- Remove the thawed filo package from the refrigerator. Allow it to stay at room temperature, unopened, for half an hour. This will make the filo more pliable and easier to work with.
- Chop the spinach roughly and place it in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle the spinach with about ½ tsp of the sea salt and stir to combine. Scrunch the spinach with your hands (this will help the spinach start wilting). Set aside for 20 minutes and then squeeze the spinach to help it release some of the water it contains. The volume will reduce significantly and the spinach will wilt and soften. Discard the liquid (which will contain most of the salt) and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add 3-4 TBSP. of olive oil and then the shallots. Season with the remaining ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots soften and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the drained, chopped artichokes and the spring onions, stir well to coat with the olive oil, and sauté for about 5-6 minutes more until they soften. To the skillet, add the wilted spinach along with the lemon zest. Stir well to combine and remove the skillet from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, crumble the Greek Feta and mix it together with the grated cheese. Add the cheeses to the cooled shallot, artichoke and spinach mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the mixture - this is very important. (You can prepare the mixture ahead of time, even a day ahead).
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet or a 12" diameter pizza pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface, with the long side closest to you and brush it with olive oil. Spoon about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling evenly along the length of the roll about one inch from the edge and start rolling up the filo up to enclose the filling. Gently form a coil with the filo roll and place it on the parchment paper lined pan. Try to roll the filo loosely, as it might tear if it is rolled too tightly. Do not worry if it does tear a bit as you twist it.
- Repeat with more filo sheets and the rest of the filling, each time placing it on the pan at the end of the previous coil and forming it around the outer side to continue the coil. Once you have used all the filling, brush the top with more olive oil, sprinkle generously with white sesame seeds, and bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 35-40 minutes, or, until the top of the spiral becomes a deep golden brown color and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool down for 5 minutes or so, before cutting into wedges to serve.
Storing: you can store the filo pie in the refrigerator for up to five days. To reheat, place the leftovers in a toaster oven or a conventional oven at 350º F for about 10-12 minutes until heated through. Do not microwave as the filo will become mushy!
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