Cookbook-200623-Final-Reduced | Page 65

MAIN DISH Greek Spanakopita (Vegan) Source: http://thegreekvegan.com Contributed by the Martinos Family Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging Benefactor Ingredients 3 lbs fresh spinach, or 3 cups thawed frozen spinach 1-1/2 cups chopped scallions (approx 12 whole) 1/4 cup olive oil + 3 tbsp 1 cup fresh dill chopped fine 1/2 cup fresh mint chopped fine 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper Method 1. Using fresh spinach: Clean and rinse spinach leaves well. In large bottomed pan, wilt spinach in 3 separate 1 lb batches in 1 tbsp of oil per batch. Important: Transfer wilted spinach batches into strainer to allow juices to strain off. Should take no more than a few minutes per batch in med hot pan Using frozen spinach: Thaw frozen spinach completely before using. 2. For both fresh and frozen spinach, drain spinach in a strainer (preferably over the sink) to get out most of the liquid. Chop well and set aside. You should end up with 3 cups of chopped spinach. 3. In 1/4 cup olive oil, sauté chopped scallions and garlic on low heat until soft, careful not to burn. Add herbs and spices, stir to combine well and cook on very low heat for less than 5 minutes just to combine flavors. Add chopped spinach to pan and mix well to combine completely. Take your time with this step to make sure ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the spinach mixture. Cook on medium low for about 10 minutes, making sure to stir often. Remove from heat and set aside. 4. At this stage, you can cover and refrigerate your spinach filling for up to 3 days before using. Warning: you’ll be tempted to enjoy this as a side dish on its own without it ever getting to the pie stage. 5. When ready to bake, carefully separate and layer fillo sheets in baking pan and brush each sheet lightly with olive oil. An average of 6-8 sheets both under and on top of spinach filling is a good guide. 6. Add the spinach filling and distribute evenly over the entire pan. Add top layers of fillo as above. 7. Brush top of pie liberally with olive oil and score fillo sheets carefully cutting through all of the top layers of fillo. 8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until a beautiful golden brown. Allow pie to rest for about 15 minutes before serving. To reheat, wrap in aluminum foil in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Do not microwave or you’ll get soggy spinach pie! Image Source: The Greek Vegan 65