Spring Spanikopita
One of my favorite spring dishes is spanakopita, which is a vegetarian Greek pie, usually served as part of a mezze appetizer spread. A classic spanakopita is made with lots of layers of buttered or oiled phyllo pastry covered with spinach, onion or spring onion, and a bit of feta cheese, flavored with herbs, then topped with more layers of buttered phyllo and baked to golden, flaky perfection. Like all traditional dishes, it comes with variations; older versions still eaten in rural areas mix their greens, using one or more of spinach, chard, leeks, and sorrel. It takes advantage of the fresh greens and herbs that are so abundant in the market this time of year, but it’s a lot of work for an appetizer. So I came up with an easier, cheesier version that has enough protein that you can serve it as a main course. This is not at all authentic, but it is delicious.
Because puff pastry comes in 9”x9” squares, to use it in a 9”x13” casserole dish you just have to gently roll it in one direction, either up and down, or side to side, not both. Because casserole dishes usually have slanted sides, you’ll need to roll the top piece a bit more than the bottom one.
Abby Schweber
Ingredients
1 box puff pastry
1 big bunch spinach* (not baby) or chard*
1 bunch spring onions*
1 bunch fresh mint*
1 bunch fresh dill*
12 oz. crumbled feta*
12 oz. cottage cheese or Market goat cheese*
12 oz. mozzarella
4 eggs*
½ tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic*
2 Tbs. butter or oil or 1 more egg*, to glaze
*These ingredients can be found at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market
Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
If you are using chard, cut out the thick part of the stems and set aside for another use. Wash and roughly chop the spinach or chard leaves.
Crumble the feta. Shred the mozzarella in food processor.
Cut herbs into 2-3” lengths, removing only the thickest stem pieces. Cut spring onion into 2-3” lengths. Put herbs, spring onions, garlic cloves, cottage cheese, and pepper in the food processor bowl with the chopping blade. Crack in all 4 eggs and blitz until the herbs and spring onions are all in small bits.
In a large bowl, stir together the cottage cheese mix, spinach or chard, feta, and mozzarella until thoroughly combined.
Roll out the first sheet of puff pastry to fit the bottom of your 9x13 casserole dish. Spread the filling evenly. Roll out the second sheet of puff to cover the filling.
If you are using butter to glaze, melt the butter. Brush melted butter or olive oil over the top layer of pastry.
Cut steam vents and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
