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Spanakopita

March 29, 2021 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

SpanakopitaSpanakopita with its flaky sesame crust and savory spinach and feta filling fills that almost empty slot containing craveable vegetarian entrées. It’s a type of Greek pita or pastry, which is related to all the flat breads from Athens to the Ganges. Spanakopita takes it an extra mile making the pastry paper thin and crispy and it will serve equally well as an appetizer (or mezze) or a light main course. And not to be forgotten it’s perfect for those who observe Lent.

The basic concept of light pastry enclosing a savory filling is the foundation, but the filling is all up to the cook. Tradition calls for spinach, onion, dill, and feta but history tells us that many fillings were used depending upon time of year and preference. The onion can be anything from green onions, to shallots, to yellow. The cheese is usually feta but can be kefalotiri if you can source it. The greens can be any kind of spinach with additions of chard, basil, parsley and mint. Someday I’m going to include my favorite bitter bite – capers – into the mix but the real idea here is to play with the flavors till you find your favorite.

The History

Greeks have eaten some form of these pies since forever and it’s one of the country’s best known dishes. You can find it wherever there are Greeks to prepare it but the default use of spinach, spinacia oleracea, was imported from Persia and is now dominant because local farmers find it easy to cultivate.

Another traditional variation is the Lenten version called “nistisimo” which has no eggs or dairy. My version only has an egg wash on the top so depending on your level of orthodoxy it could be considered lent friendly.

The Prep

First off you get the filo dough out of the freezer and let it thaw. Once thawed open the package and roll out gently placing a damp towel over it.

SpanakopitaNext up is the spinach and there are generally three kinds. The type I’ve used here is the robust curly variety. This type needs to have the stems removed. You can see below how much is cut out and it really improves the texture. This is why using fresh spinach will always be better than frozen because the jolly green giant’s fingers are too fat to cut out all the ribs. Ribs bad (unless you’re at a rib joint somewhere in central Texas). Consistency all wrong and similar to cattle fodder.

SpanakopitaIf you don’t have time for that you can buy plastic bags or containers of pre-washed flat-leafed spinach. The last option is the previously mentioned brick package of frozen spinach. This has the advantage of being pre-washed and pre-chopped, the disadvantage being that all the tough stems have been ground up and included. It will taste ok but you will notice the difference in taste and texture from the first two options. If time’s of the essence go with the bagged fresh version. The amount of spinach I call for is four cups which is approximately what is in every fresh bunch or bagged version. I don’t really ever measure.

Once you’ve deribbed the veg drop it in some boiling water for just a minute.

SpinachThen put into a strainer or cloth and squeeze out the water.

SpinachOne thing you’ll notice in other recipes is the addition of uncooked spinach to the filling. I don’t do this because spinach has a lot of water which will leach out and make the filo layers soggy. You can see below how much I squeezed out of a bunch that was blanched & drained.

SpanakopitaNext mix the spinach, basil, dill, onion, feta, ricotta and lemon zest well and set aside.

The final lap consists of assembly. Brush the pan lightly with oil and start peeling off the layers of phyllo and laying them down. It’s nice to get them in in one piece but absolutely not vital. Torn pieces will bake up just as well. In this prep, I used a springform cheesecake pan since it looks a little nicer for presentational purposes but you can use a brownie pan as well.

SpanakopitaOnce greased lay in about four to six layers of phyllo dripping a little olive oil over each layer and draping some over the edge.

SpanakopitaNow time to spread out the filling.

SpanakopitaOnce done add several separate layers of phyllo that you’ve gently crumpled like tissue paper then carefully fold over the layers hanging over the edge always sprinkling with the oil. When they’re all folded over drizzle with the egg/oil wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook till brown.

p.s. Below you’ll see it in the old brownie pan. Perfect for cutting out squares as appetizers.

SpanakopitaAnd as the Greeks say, “Kali oreksi!”

Spanakopita
 
Print
Author: Carine Clary
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
  • For the crust:
  • 1 package of filo pastry (each box will have 2 packages. Use only one)
  • For the filling:
  • 4 cups spinach
  • ¼ cup basil, chopped
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped (stems removed)
  • ½ medium onion, grated
  • Zest of one lemon
  • ½ cup feta, crumbled (get the kind in water, not pre-crumbled)*
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese (or large curd cottage cheese)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ⅛ tsp. nutmeg zest
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • For the garnish:
  • Sesame seeds for topping
  • 1 beaten egg with a tablespoon of olive oil
Instructions
  1. Remove filo pastry from freezer and allow to come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  3. Heat a pan with about 3 cups water until boiling.
  4. Remove stems from spinach, rinse & drop in boiling water for a minute, then remove and drain.
  5. Place spinach in cloth or heavy paper towel and squeeze out juice. Transfer to a large bowl.
  6. Grate onion, squeeze out juice & add to the spinach. If you opt for green onions, just chop finely & add.
  7. Mix ricotta and feta then add to spinach.
  8. Add herbs, salt, pepper & lemon zest to spinach to cheese mixture and mix well.
  9. Assembly:
  10. Grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil and start layering the filo. Do about four to six layers & drizzle olive oil over each layer.
  11. Spread filling over then layer several more of the filo. Drizzle with the egg/oil and cover with sesame seeds.
  12. Bake until brown.
Notes
*Vegetarians who avoid cheese may use cubed tofu. As for the feta get the kind that comes in a chunk in water not the pre crumbled type which is too dry.
3.4.3177

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Greek, Vegetarian Tagged With: Greek spinach pie, Spanakopita, spinach pie

Traditional Moussaka

June 25, 2019 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Traditional MoussakaI call my version of Traditional Moussaka “Archie and Mehitabel’s Moussaka” after the eponymous Don Marquis’ roach and alley cat duo.  But more on roaches later…

As for Moussaka, I learned to love it after first having it at the Shreveport, LA St. George’s Greek Orthodox church Easter fundraiser where I was also introduced to pastichio and ekmekkatafi.

Now back to roaches (the kind that crawls, not the kind you find in your ashtray).

Moussaka in Astoria, Queens

Once upon a time, a hungry girl went to a Greek restaurant for a carafe of retsina, a salad, and a soul-satisfying hunk of moussaka made as only a true Greek can. At least that was the plan.

It started out well. The day was sunny and crisp, the retsina cold, and the salad was a flawless mix of greens and grilled calamari. So far so good. Finally, the waiter arrived with a fragrant slab of moussaka which said girl, with her retsina stimulated appetite dove into. Did I mention that she was alone? Did I mention that because she was alone she was reading the paper and had removed her glasses? No? Well, she had removed her glasses, which is why the large brown oval-shaped form which she saw in the moussaka appeared at first to be a toasted nut. She leaned in closer to determine what kind of a nut it was, but upon closer inspection the “nut” proved to have long feelers and crooked spiked legs.

In fact, the “nut” was a mature roach. Probably had a family in the walls somewhere nearby. Sadly, Daddy met his end. The hungry girl did not over react. She just waited for the waiter to return and catching sight of him executed a two-fingered Cary Grant-like beckoning motion. The waiter approached. The girl wordlessly pointed at the insect garnished casserole.

Waiter, “Hmm, that’s a big one.”

Girl, “Yeah.”

Waiter, “So, You want I should bring you another piece?”

Girl, “From the same pan?”

Waiter, “Just one pan today lady.”

Girl, “Check please.”

BTW – never got the check because the owner comped me.  But it had a happy ending. After retailing this story at the office, I was later gifted with a version of the recipe below in my inbox. It came from a Greek lady in accounting and tastes a lot like the ones from St. Georges in Shreveport. So all’s well that ends….without a roach. So let’s get started:

The Prep

As for the actual prep work on this dish it’s helpful if you think of it as analogous to an exercise in business school project management. It’s broken down into three parts plus the final assembly. Keep in mind that things flow more smoothly when you concentrate on one step at a time.

Traditional MoussakaFirst you make the meat sauce and if you can swing it, doing it the night or day before speeds your way. If you don’t have the pale sultana raisins the dark ones will do fine. And if you don’t worship the lamb (so to speak), you can substitute ground beef or a mix of ground beef and ground pork.

When precooking the eggplant and potatoes you want to remember that they should be undercooked. They’ll finish after they are in the casserole for the final cook. If, however, you get distracted and they go a little too long – don’t worry. Your sins will be well covered by the bechamel sauce on top.

This particular version of bechamel may render a little more sauce than you need, but remember, it’s always better to have more sauce rather than less since you want to avoid those bald spots on the top.  I include beaten egg whites in the mix because, a) otherwise they’re wasted, and b) they make the topping puff up nicely.

Traditional MoussakaSo here you have it. The slightly overwhelming, but not if you break it up into smaller parts, recipe for roach-free moussaka (with a side of Orange Arugula Salad).

Orange Arugula Salad

Retsina Wine

And last but not least I have to put in a plug for retsina wine. Most non-Greeks have never tried it and that’s a mistake. It’s like a crisp Graves with a pine needle chaser. You’ll either like it or you won’t but at least try it – and it’s perfect with moussaka. All versions are good but Kourtaki is my favorite and it’s the cheapest.

 

Traditional Moussaka
 
Print
Author: Carine Clary
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • For the meat sauce:
  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • ¼ cup sultanas
  • 4 T. olive oil
  • ½ lb. ground lamb (or ground chuck)
  • pinch cayenne
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • ½ tsp. oregano (or Greek seasoning)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine
  • For the Vegetables:
  • 1 lb eggplant cut into ¼ inch thick slices
  • 1 1 lb russet potato peeled & cut into ¼ inch thick slices
  • For the Bechamel sauce:
  • 6 T. butter
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • nutmeg to taste
  • ½ cup plain full fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
  1. For the meat sauce:
  2. Soak sultanas in hot water.
  3. Heat olive oil and fry lamb with spices till lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon to drain off the oil, but leave the remainder of the oil in the pan.
  4. In the same pot saute the garlic, onion, bell pepper till soft, about 10 minutes.
  5. Add the wine and cook till almost evaporated, about 15 minutes.
  6. Add tomatoes, sultanas, and drained lamb and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  7. For the vegetables:
  8. Slice eggplant & place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, oil the tops, cover with foil and put in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until somewhat soft.
  9. Soak sliced potatoes in water for 5 minutes. Drain water and boil until tender.
  10. For the bechamel sauce:
  11. Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Let it cook for a minute or so. It should still be pale.
  12. Beat egg yolks into milk and add slowly to the roux. Be sure and maintain a low heat while the sauce thickens. This will happen quickly so don't step away. Once it thickens, cut the heat off.
  13. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf and nutmeg. Cover the pan and let it sit for a few minutes.
  14. Stir in the yogurt.
  15. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Remove the bay leaf and fold the egg whites into the bechamel sauce. Set aside.
  16. Assembly:
  17. Layer the potato slices over the bottom of a buttered casserole dish.
  18. Cover with the meat sauce.
  19. Layer the eggplant slices over the meat sauce pressing down a little to make sure they have liquid from the sauce to flavor them.
  20. Spoon the bechamel sauce over the eggplant, dust top with grated Parmesan, and cook in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.
Notes
You may find this easier if you make the meat sauce the day before.

This very rich dish is great with an arugula salad.
3.4.3177

 

Filed Under: Casseroles, Entree, Greek, Meat Tagged With: Moussaka, Traditional Moussaka

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Hello, I'm Carine Clary and I'm the FrangloSaxon.

And is that a word? In a word - Yes! It reflects my French connections in the south part of the state and the Anglo Saxon ones on the Arkansas state line. I grew up eating & loving all the foods of Louisiana and the idea is to collect lots of them right here on this website.

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They're all part of who we are so pull up your chair and join me for some good eats!

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