Spanakopita (Spinach pie) I ate spanakopita almost every day for 2 weeks when traveling in Greece a few years ago. I never tired of it and it was one of a fewdishes that I really missed upon our return. Since that trip, I have been working to “perfect” the dish. It is my husband’s favorite. One key to an authentic spanakopita is to use more than just spinach. Greeks often use a combination of herbs and bitter greens instead of spinach. 1 box of frozen spinach or 1 bunch of fresh spinach 1 bunch of swiss chard, mustard or kale 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or 2 tbl olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 leek, washed and finely chopped 6 green onions, washed and finely chopped ¼ c of grated kelafalotiri or parmesan cheese 1/3 pound feta cheese, crumbled 4 tbl chopped parsley 2 tbl chopped dill 2 eggs, lightly beaten ¼ to a ½ tsp grated nutmeg salt and pepper to taste 1 box frozen pastry dough 3-4 tbl melted butter to assemble Wash fresh greens and remove any roots. Shake off excess water. Coarsely chop the leaves, and if using swiss chard, chop the stems. (Spinach and other stems can be discarded). Place chopped greens in colander over boiling water. Cover and steam until wilted. If using fresh spinach, you may to have to do this in batches. Remove the wilted greens from the colander and let drain and cool. (If using frozen spinach, defrost the package, drain well and add to the wilted greens). Heat butter or olive oil in small pan. Add onion, leek and green onions and sauté until soft and translucent and some pieces begin to brown. Add onions to the wilted greens. Stir in cheeses, parsley and dill. Stir in eggs and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. (The filling can be made the day before, but make sure to drain off any liquid that may have settled). Lightly butter a 9x9 inch baking dish. Line the pan with one sheet of pastry dough. Some of the dough will hang over the sides. Butter the dough. Add filling and spread evenly, making sure the center is not lower than the edges. Place the remaining sheet of pastry dough on top of the filling in the opposite direction as the first piece so you have enough dough to seal the pie on all sides. Brush the dough with butter and trim the excess dough. Then work your way around, tucking the top sheet into the pan, and pinching it together with the bottom sheet. I work the pastry brush loaded with butter between the pie and pan to make sure there is enough butter so it doesn’t stick. Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Variations: Use 12 sheets of fillo dough instead of the pastry dough. When assembling, line the pan with 6 sheets of dough, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Top the pie with the remaining 6 sheets, brushing each with melted butter and moistening the edges of each sheet with water. For bigger gatherings, double the amount of the filling ingredients and use a 9x13 inch pan. © 2010 Copyright, Laurie Erdman

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