A pizza-fied version of the classic Greek dish, this Spanakopita Pizza is topped with a delicious mix of sauteed spinach, dill, parsley, scallions, ricotta, and feta cheese.
Those Greeks really got it right with spanakopita, the savory spinach pie encased in a crispy phyllo crust. Consisting of mixed herbs and spices, onion, feta cheese, and egg, the almost quiche-like filling smacks you on the mouth with a trifecta of verdant-tangy-earthy flavors.
For my Spanakopita Pizza, I started with the spanakopita recipe in Kate McMillan's One Pot of the Day, swapping ricotta for the cottage cheese, and tinkering with the ingredient amounts to yield just enough filling (or, rather, topping) for a 12-inch round of dough. The closest I could get to the delicate crunch of phyllo was a nicely browned pizza crust, but in the end it more than sufficed. Because of its quiche-like feel, this pizza would fit in just fine on a brunch spread, served with heirloom tomato salad, olives, and micheladas or Ouzo Lemon Spritzers.
Looking for more pizza-fied classics? Check out two of my favorites: Bacon, Egg, and Cheese and Philly Cheese Steak. As always, tag me on Instagram or Facebook with your pizza creations, and let me know if there are any other classic recipes you'd like me to pizza-fy!
Spanakopita Pizza
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Large skillet
- Small skillet
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh spinach thick stems removed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 scallions white and light green parts only, finely chopped
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese divided
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill packed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley packed
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (if using a baking sheet) or as high as it will go (if using a baking stone/steel; place the stone/steel in the oven before you start preheating).
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the spinach. Cook the spinach for 5 minutes, working in batches if necessary, until it is completely wilted, then remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
- Wipe out the skillet, add the oil, and warm it over medium-high heat. Toss in the scallions and cook for 3 minutes or until soft, stirring constantly.
- Transfer the cooked scallions to a large bowl, and add the ricotta, ½ cup of the feta, the egg, dill, parsley, and nutmeg. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the spinach, chop it up, and add the spinach to the bowl. Mix well and season with the salt.
- If you're using a baking stone/steel, turn the oven to Broil on high.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to a baking sheet or a lightly floured pizza peel (if using a baking stone/steel).
- Brush the dough with olive oil, making sure you get it all the way to the edges. Spoon the spinach mixture onto the dough and use your hands to spread it evenly, leaving a ½-inch border of dough all around. Scatter the remaining ¼ cup of feta over top, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and season with a few grinds of black pepper.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, 6 to 8 minutes on the baking stone/steel.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.
brooklyngeorge says
We made this last night; and, the filling was a great-tasting, efficient version of spanikopita. Was concerned 5 oz cheese wouldn't be enough (estimating 1/4 cup ricotta cheese ~2oz and 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese ~3oz) but it certainly worked. Surely, in Step 2, you need to add oil as well?
Peggy Paul Casella says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe! No, actually, there's no need for oil when you cook the spinach. I find it just makes the finished pizza a little greasy.