As you all may know, Sean is the cook and I am…well, I guess the sommelier of our household. He found a great recipe from @themediterraneandish for spanakopita and I paired it with Ktima Gerovassiliou Malagousia Single Vineyard 2021.
Spanakopita Ingredients:
For the Spinach and Feta Filling
– 16 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
– 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped
– 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 2 tbsp Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
– 4 eggs
– 10.5 oz quality feta cheese, crumbled
– 2 tsp dried dill weed
– Freshly-ground black pepper
For the crust:
– 1 16 oz package The Fillo Factory Organic Dough (#4 pastry sheets), properly thawed (see tips above)
– 1 cup Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
Spanakopita Instructions:
– Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
– Before you begin mixing the filling, be sure the spinach is very well drained, and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
– To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the remaining filling ingredients. Stir until all is well-combined.
– Unroll the phyllo (fillo) sheets and place them between two slightly damp kitchen cloths.
– Prepare a 9 ½” X 13″ baking dish like this one. Brush the bottom and sides of the dish with olive oil.
– To assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo (fillo) letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush with olive oil. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them with olive oil. Repeat until two-thirds of the phyllo (fillo) is used up.
– Now, evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo (fillo) crust. Top with two more sheets, and brush with olive oil.
– Continue to layer the phyllo (fillo) sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with olive oil, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a few drops of water.
– Fold the flaps or excess from the sides, you can crumble them a little. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil. Cut Spanakopita ONLY PART-WAY through into squares, or leave the cutting to later.
– Bake in the 325 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo (fillo) crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Finish cutting into squares and serve.
The outcome was absolutely delicious and went perfectly with the Ktima Gerovassiliou Malagousia Single Vineyard 2021.
About Ktima Gerovassiliou Malagousia Single Vineyard 2021
Ktima Gerovassiliou was created by Vangelis Gerovassiliou. In 1981, he started reviving the family vineyard extending over 2.5 hectares in the Papamola region of Epanomi, approximately 25 km southeast of Thessaloniki. He planted mainly Greek, but also foreign grape varieties. The first vinification took place in 1986 at the modern winery that was built by the vineyard.
At Ktima Gerovassiliou, the vineyard is cultivated with care and enthusiasm, with constant research and experimentation with Greek and foreign varieties, both well and lesser known. They pride themselves of mixing new technological advances with tradition throughout vine growing and vinification processes. The aim is to produce high-quality wines from grapes cultivated in the privately-owned vineyard to showcase all the distinctive characteristics of the specific terroir of Epanomi.
This wine is entirely produced from the Greek grape variety of Malagousia, which was saved from extinction by Vangelis Gerovassiliou. Following a cold soak, vinification is carried out in a mix of stainless-steel tanks and French oak barrels. The wine is left with its lees for several months to gain structure and body.
The wine is pale yellow with an aroma of grapefruit, peach, tropical fruit, and florals. It was dry, light to medium-bodied, with medium+ acidity, and medium+ finish. Lots of delicious notes of citrus, stone fruit, and tropical fruit. I found it at Vino Nueva but you can find it online for about $30.
