The highlight of out cooking this week was a truly amazing chard and spinach spanakopita. P and I loved it so much we gobbled up two fat slices each. Traditionally, this pie is made with all spinach, but I think the chard and onion variation is even better, frankly, and I've had a lot of spinach pies. It's not exactly health food, but feta is much lower fat than most cheeses, and this is the sort of pie that makes you put your fork down, close your eyes, and take a deep, contented sigh about how good life must be that it offers you this pie. P prefers to beat his elbow on the table, while I prefer to simply exclaim "this is good" so often H now does it every night at dinner.
The phyllo is a kid-pleaser even if the filling may not be.
Recipe freely adapted from Diane Kochilas, the Food and Wine of Greece
One recipe phyllo dough
Oil, for pan
1 large bunch swiss chard, stems chopped, leaves split down stem and finely sliced
2 oz frozen shredded spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
1 largish vidalia onion, finely diced
1 large bunch dill, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 lb crumbled feta cheese
1/2 - 3/ 4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
3/4 tsp cumin, ground
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a 10 1/2 inch pie plate.
2. Wash and chop chard, and drain very well. Heat 2 T (or more) oil in skillet. Saute onions and chard stems for 5-6 minutes, until beginning to brown, over medium heat. Add chard greens and continue to saute, lowering heat to low-medium, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, add the frozen spinach. If this mixture is watery once cooked, press the liquid out in a colander. Set aside and cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked greens, dill. Add egg, 1/4 cup olive oil, feta, parmesan, spices, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
4. Divide phyllo dough in half. Roll out first half of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Place in oiled pie plate. Brush with some oil. Spread spinach filling evenly over dough.
5. Roll out remaining phyllo dough into 12 inch circle. Carefully place over filling. Gently press top and bottom pastries together and cut away excess, leaving about 1/2 inch hanging over rim of pie plate. Roll top and bottom together to form your preferred crust. Make some incisions in the center of crust. If you wish, brush crust with beaten egg yolk and 1 T milk for a shiny crust. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Homemade Phyllo Dough (not nearly as hard as you'd imagine, or as layered)
2 to 2 1/2 cups flour, we use a mixture of 1 cup whole wheat, and 1 cup white bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 olive oil
3/4 cups water minus 1 T (if making ouzo variation)
1 T ouzo (if desired, it's very good with spanakopita)
Sift together 2 cups of flour, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add water and olive oil and ouzo (if using). Stir together until all ingredients are combined.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and silky to the touch, 5-7 minutes, adding remaining flour as necessary.
Refrigerate covered dough for 1 hour (up to 3 days).
Remove dough from fridge 30 minutes before use. To roll, divine into two equal balls. Keep it covered when you're not rolling it. Roll out onto lightly floured surface into circle. Brush bottom sheet with olive oil.
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