SAVE THE DAY SPINACH PIE
I don’t know why, but I just keep buying spinach. Every single time the notice from our local farm comes into my inbox “Spinach, back in stock” I click—a knee-jerk reaction to the constant fear of running out of fresh foods.
Greens, especially are a lifeblood for me—my daily green juice, big green salads, stewed greens in coconut milk—I crave them all, especially now, 8 weeks into quarantine when I’ve long since filled my cup on baking projects (all the breads, cookies and skillet cakes have been made—and consumed, at rapid speed).
On the other end of the baking spectrum is project baking—something a bit slower, with a result that lasts. This spinach pie is perfect for that. It’s in the projects section of my book, Every Day is Saturday, but only really because phyllo is intimidating and deemed project-worthy. But I’m booting it from project status to quarantine-perfect status, because 1. once you get the hang of it, it’s super quick and easy. 2. once you’ve defrosted the phyllo, you’ll want to use it all up.
We’ve made this four times so far since mid-march, because spinach is inexpensive and abundant right now, and because you can buy feta in large chunks, which keeps for weeks in the fridge. Plus, once baked—you get several meals out of a single pie (lunch today, reheat lunch or snack tomorrow), making it a prime candidate to consider making now.
RECIPE, BELOW.
SAVE-THE-DAY-SPINACH-PIE
PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 HOURS
SERVES 8
30 OZ. (860G) FROZEN SPINACH, THAWED
1/2 CUP (1 STICK/112G) UNSALTED BUTTER
1 SMALL YELLOW ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
2 CUPS (480G) WHOLE-MILK RICOTTA CHEESE
4 LARGE EGGS, LIGHTLY BEATEN
1/3 CUP (40G) CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE
3 TBSP CHOPPED FRESH DILL (OPTIONAL)
JUICE OF 1 LEMON
1 TSP FINE SEA SALT
14 TSP FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
8 SHEETS FROZEN PHYLLO DOUGH, THAWED
PREHEAT THE OVEN AT 375°F (190°C)
SET THE SPINACH IN A COLANDER TO DRAIN WHILE YOU PREPARE THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS, THEN PLACE IT IN THE CENTER OF A LARGE, STURDY DISH TOWEL. SQUEEZE OUT AS MUCH MOISTURE AS YOU CAN. (IF YOU WASH THE TOWEL SHORTLY AFTER, THE COLOR WON’T STAIN.)
HEAT A LARGE PAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. MELT THE BUTTER, AND POUR OFF AND RESERVE ABOUT 5 TABLESPOONS. ADD THE ONION TO THE SKILLET AND COOK UNTIL SOFT BUT NOT BROWN, ABOUT 5 MINUTES. TRANSFER TO A BOWL WITH THE SQUEEZED SPINACH, AND ADD THE RICOTTA, EGGS, FETA, DILL (IF USING), LEMON JUICE, SALT AND PEPPER.
BRUSH A 9 BY 11 INCH (23 BY 33 CM)BAKING PAN WITH SOME OF THE RESERVED MELTED BUTTER. LAY THE TWO FIRST SHEETS OF PHYLLO SIDE BY SIDE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN TO COVER IT AND COME 1 INCH (2.5 CM) UP THE SIDES; BRUSH WITH BUTTER. CONTINUE WITH ANOTHER TWO SHEETS OF PHYLLO RIGHT ON TOP, LAYERING THEM SLIGHTLY OVERLAPPING TO COVER THE BOTTOM AND UP THE SIDES (SO FAR, YOU’VE USED FOUR SHEETS). ADD THE SPINACH MIXTURE AND SPREAD INTO AN EVEN LAYER. LAY TWO MORE SHEETS OF PHYLLO SIDE BY SIDE ON TOP, TO COVER THE ENTIRE FILLING, AND BRUSH WITH BUTTER. TUCK THE SIDES OF THE PHYLLO OVER THE TOP, AND LAYER THE TWO REMAINING SHEETS OF PHYLLO ON TOP. BRUSH WITH THE REMAINING BUTTER.
BAKE UNTIL THE PHYLLO IS COOKED THROUGH, SHINY, AND GOLDEN BROWN, 40 TO 45 MINUTES. REMOVE AND LET COOL UNTIL JUST WARM TO THE TOUCH BEFORE CUTTING. CUT INTO 9 OR 12 PIECES AND SERVE WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. REFRIGERATE ANY LEFTOVERS IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER FOR UP TPO THREE DAYS.
** recipes and images belong to Sarah Copeland and should not be used or pinned without attribution. **
STYLING // SARAH COPELAND
PHOTO // GENTL + HYERS