Spanakopita Spring Rolls (Print Version)

Crispy rolls filled with spinach, feta, and Mediterranean herbs for a delightful fusion appetizer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 300 grams fresh spinach, or 200 grams frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
02 - 150 grams feta cheese, crumbled
03 - 100 grams ricotta cheese
04 - 2 spring onions, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wrapping and Frying

11 - 12 spring roll wrappers
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 3 tablespoons water
14 - Vegetable oil for frying

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. If using frozen spinach, ensure it is fully thawed and squeezed dry. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely, then chop coarsely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled spinach, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, spring onions, dill, parsley, beaten egg, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Mix until well incorporated and texture is uniform.
03 - In a small bowl, mix all-purpose flour and water to form a smooth paste. This mixture will seal the spring roll edges during assembly.
04 - Place a spring roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of filling near the bottom corner. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both side corners and roll tightly upward. Brush the final corner with flour paste to seal.
05 - Repeat the wrapping process with remaining wrappers and filling until all portions are assembled.
06 - In a deep skillet or heavy pot, heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 1.5 to 2 inches deep). Working in batches, fry spring rolls for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy throughout. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
07 - Arrange fried spring rolls on a serving plate and serve while hot. Accompany with yogurt-dill dip, lemon wedges, tzatziki, marinara sauce, or harissa sauce as desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They fry up fast and come out shatteringly crisp, with none of the sogginess you sometimes get from phyllo.
  • You can prep a whole batch in the morning, keep them covered in the fridge, and fry them right before guests arrive.
  • The filling is creamy, tangy, and herby all at once, and every bite tastes like the Mediterranean in miniature.
  • They're just as good baked if you want to skip the deep fryer and still get that satisfying crunch.
02 -
  • If your frozen spinach isn't squeezed bone dry, the filling will turn watery and leak through the wrappers during frying.
  • Don't overfill the rolls or they'll burst open in the oil; two tablespoons is just enough to get a good bite without spilling.
  • Make sure the oil is hot enough before you start frying, or the wrappers will absorb grease and turn soggy instead of crisp.
  • If you're baking instead of frying, brush the rolls lightly with oil and flip them halfway through so both sides get golden and crunchy.
03 -
  • Keep a damp towel over the stack of wrappers while you work so they don't dry out and crack when you try to roll them.
  • If a wrapper does tear, just patch it with a second wrapper and keep going; no one will notice once it's fried.
  • Let the filling cool completely before you start rolling, or the heat will soften the wrappers and make them harder to seal.
  • Fry in small batches and give the oil a minute to come back up to temperature between batches for the crispiest results.
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