Cooking and Serving: 65 minutes | 15 sheets phyllo dough
Ingredients
3 ½ cups (490 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend | 2 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it) | ¾ cup (85 g) Expandex modified tapioca starch, (See Recipe Notes)
Description
Prep Time: 45 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 65 minutes | Servings: 15 sheets phyllo dough
Ingredients
3 ½ cups (490 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
2 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it)
¾ cup (85 g) Expandex modified tapioca starch, (See Recipe Notes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (56 g) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from about 1 medium lemon)
1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon (14 g) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, peeled and diced
16- ounces fresh spinach, (or frozen whole leaf spinach, defrosted)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Phyllo dough
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more as necessary
Instructions
MAKE THE PHYLLO DOUGH
In a large bowl, place the all-purpose gluten free flour, xanthan gum,.
Expandex and salt, and whisk to combine.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the olive oil,.
lemon juice and water, and mix to combine.
The dough will come together and be thick.
Press together into a ball, cover with a moist tea towel, and allow to sit.
for about 20 minutes.
The dough will stiffen a bit as it absorbs more of the water.
Pull off golf ball-sized pieces (about 3 ounces press into a disk with your fingers.
Place the dough on a clean, flat surface and roll into a rough rectangle.
Sprinkle lightly with more gluten free flour, and roll into a rectangle about.
12-inches x 10-inches.
Using a sharp knife, pizza wheel or pastry cutter, trim the rough edges of.
the rectangle into a neat rectangle that is about 10-inches x 8-inches.
Dust both sides of the dough generously with more flour, and set aside on a.
piece of parchment paper.
Gather the scraps and return them to the remaining dough.
Repeat with the rest of the dough, layering the pieces of rolled-out dough on.
top of one another, each dusted generously with flour to prevent sticking.
The dough can be frozen for later use, then thawed at room temperature before.
MAKE THE SPANAKOPITA FILLING
In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the diced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
Remove the cooked shallots from the pan and set aside.
Add the fresh spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Remove.
from the heat and allow to cool.
Once cool, place the spinach in a clean tea towel or strong paper towels and.
wring out until all water has been removed.
Chop the cooked, dry spinach roughly, and place in the medium-sized bowl with.
the cooked shallots, feta cheese, egg, salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
Set the filling aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached.
parchment paper and set it aside.
SHAPE THE SPANIKOPITA
Place 1 sheet of fresh phyllo dough on a lightly floured surface, with the.
short side of the rectangle facing you.
Sprinkle lightly with more flour, and using a sharp knife, pastry wheel or.
pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half lengthwise so you have two equal.
rectangles, each about 10-inches x 4 inches.
Separate the rectangles and roll each away from you so that it is about.
11-inches x 4-inches (or as long as you can make it without the dough.
tearing). The dough should be nearly translucent.
Brush each rectangle generously with melted butter.
About 1/2-inch from the bottom of each rectangle, place about 1 tablespoon of.
filling. Pull one of the bottom corners of the rectangle of dough up over the.
filling on an angle (toward the opposite side of the dough) to make a.
Brush the top of the triangle with more melted butter, and fold it over on.
itself again toward the other side of the dough rectangle (see photos).
Brush again with melted butter, and continue to fold the dough, brushing with.
melted butter each time, until you reach the top of the rectangle.
Repeat with the other piece of dough, and then more sheets of phyllo dough.
BAKE THE SPANIKOPITA
Place the spanakopita on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart from.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until.
lightly golden brown all over (about 20 minutes).
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
BAKE THE SPANIKOPITA
Place the spanakopita on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart from.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until.
lightly golden brown all over (about 20 minutes).
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* ¼ cup (56 g) extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from about 1 medium lemon)
* 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
* 1 tablespoon (14 g) extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium shallot, peeled and diced
* 16- ounces fresh spinach, (or frozen whole leaf spinach, defrosted)
* 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
* 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature
* ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
* ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more as necessary
MAKE THE PHYLLO DOUGH.
* In a large bowl, place the all-purpose gluten free flour, xanthan gum,
Expandex and salt, and whisk to combine.
* Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the olive oil,
lemon juice and water, and mix to combine.
* The dough will come together and be thick.
* Press together into a ball, cover with a moist tea towel, and allow to sit
for about 20 minutes.
* The dough will stiffen a bit as it absorbs more of the water.
* Pull off golf ball-sized pieces (about 3 ounces press into a disk with your fingers.
* Place the dough on a clean, flat surface and roll into a rough rectangle
* Sprinkle lightly with more gluten free flour, and roll into a rectangle about
12-inches x 10-inches.
* Using a sharp knife, pizza wheel or pastry cutter, trim the rough edges of
the rectangle into a neat rectangle that is about 10-inches x 8-inches.
* Dust both sides of the dough generously with more flour, and set aside on a
piece of parchment paper.
* Gather the scraps and return them to the remaining dough.
* Repeat with the rest of the dough, layering the pieces of rolled-out dough on
top of one another, each dusted generously with flour to prevent sticking.
* The dough can be frozen for later use, then thawed at room temperature before
MAKE THE SPANAKOPITA FILLING.
* In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
* Add the diced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent
* Remove the cooked shallots from the pan and set aside.
* Add the fresh spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Remove
from the heat and allow to cool.
* Once cool, place the spinach in a clean tea towel or strong paper towels and
wring out until all water has been removed.
* Chop the cooked, dry spinach roughly, and place in the medium-sized bowl with
the cooked shallots, feta cheese, egg, salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
* Set the filling aside.
* Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached
parchment paper and set it aside.
SHAPE THE SPANIKOPITA.
* Place 1 sheet of fresh phyllo dough on a lightly floured surface, with the
short side of the rectangle facing you.
* Sprinkle lightly with more flour, and using a sharp knife, pastry wheel or
pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half lengthwise so you have two equal
rectangles, each about 10-inches x 4 inches.
* Separate the rectangles and roll each away from you so that it is about
11-inches x 4-inches (or as long as you can make it without the dough
tearing). The dough should be nearly translucent.
* Brush each rectangle generously with melted butter.
* About 1/2-inch from the bottom of each rectangle, place about 1 tablespoon of
filling. Pull one of the bottom corners of the rectangle of dough up over the
filling on an angle (toward the opposite side of the dough) to make a
* Brush the top of the triangle with more melted butter, and fold it over on
itself again toward the other side of the dough rectangle (see photos).
* Brush again with melted butter, and continue to fold the dough, brushing with
melted butter each time, until you reach the top of the rectangle.
* Repeat with the other piece of dough, and then more sheets of phyllo dough
BAKE THE SPANIKOPITA.
* Place the spanakopita on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart from
* Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until
lightly golden brown all over (about 20 minutes).
* Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
For information on where to find Expandex, please see the Resources page
how to replace Expandex with Ultratex 3, readily available in most countries
outside the United States, in the gluten free bread recipes in GFOAS Bakes Bread
, scroll to #6 in Resources.
I have not yet tested Ultratex 3 in this recipe, but I would recommend trying a
mix of 547 grams all purpose gluten free flour + 28 grams Ultratex 3 in place of
the blend above. Ultratex 3 is at least 3 times as strong as Expandex.
To make this recipe without Expandex or Ultratex 3, you can try replacing it
with more all purpose gluten free flour, but you’ll have to experiment as I
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an