"Spa" and a Greek Salad (Spanikopita)

Today's offering is a  recipe from last Saturday's Vegetable Main Courses class.  I really appreciate the folks who are coming out for the classes.  A full schedule is here and a gallery of pictures can be found here.  Next up is a pasta class on Thursday evening at 7:00 and at out usual 1:00 time on Saturday we'll meet to talk about Hors d’oeuvres and appetizers.

Spanikopita is the traditional Greek spinach and feta cheese pie.  "Spa" is restaurant slang for Spanikopita, as in "Gimmie four orders of Spa like yesterday, Malakia."  Variations, good and bad are made all over.  I learned this recipe thirty years ago from Mrs. Petsos.  Her twist was to substitute leeks for 1/3 of the spinach.  Give it a shot, it works out well.  All you have to do is wash the white part of the leeks, cut them into 1/2 inch dice and sautee them in olive oil with the onions.  

It is crucial that Spanikopita be fresh or else the phyllo dough breaks down and becomes soft and pasty.  Not good!  Spanikopita should go directly in the oven after it is assembled, since the phyllo dough will become soggy and never crisp up.   Also, buy a block of cheese, rather than getting that pre crumbled stuff.  That way, you'll know what you are getting, instead of having the feta cartel sell you sweepings from the factory floor.

Serve with a Greek salad, a simple thing with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, red onion and cucumbers.  Make the dressing out of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and oregano.

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Spanikopita (serves 6)

2 lbs. fresh spinach

2 tbs. Spanish onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated

4 eggs

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbs. olive oil

8 oz. frozen phyllo dough

salt and black pepper

Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer to thaw one hour before preparing the Spanikopita.

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in a large soup pot.  Sauté the onions until transparent, lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and handfuls of spinach, until all of it has been sweated down, stirring constantly.  Season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper.  Cook for an additional minute, until the nutmeg flavor opens up, then put the spinach in a large mixing bowl to cool for about ten minutes.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix them.  Reserve 2 tsp. of eggs for glazing the top of the Spanikopita.  When the spinach mix is cool to the touch, add the eggs and crumbled feta.  Mix to combine, do not whisk vigorously, since that would break up the feta too much. 

Lightly brush the olive oil into a 9 x 12 inch baking pan, fully coating the inside.  Line the bottom and sides of the pan with 4 sheets of phyllo dough, using a pastry brush to oil between sheets.  It is fine if they over lap.  Pour in the spinach mixture and spread it evenly over the phyllo.  Cover the top with 4 sheets of phyllo that also have been oiled.  Fold the edges over to seal the pie.  Brush the remaining egg on the pie, glazing the top of the Spanikopita. 

Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

*Spanikopita can also be made by folding the phyllo into triangles that enclose the spinach stuffing or by oiling and lining muffin tins with phyllo.

Gluten Free (yogurt marinated turkey legs, red lentil dal)

A number of readers have suggested that I post some gluten free recipes.  Actually, by accident, I already have, for example the chili and salsa recipe and any of the soups, as long as they are thickened with potatoes, rice, beans or lentils.  The bean cakes with fennel and tomato stew would also work. 

Gluten free has really not been on my French cooking radar.  No one in our family has celiac disease.  According to Rachael Ray, only one percent of Americans do.  You should fact check her.  I don’t trust perky.  Looking back at the recipes that I’ve posted, it seems that I already have a good handle on cooking without gluten, although I felt that I had to do a bit of research.  You are going to be along for the ride. 

That ride took an early, ugly turn.  A friend posted a link that screamed, “NO DOUGH PIZZA!!!!!!! This one is a WINNER!!!! Gluten Free, Low Carb, Diabetic Friendly!!!!!!”  While it is gluten free, the recipe is neither low carb nor diabetic friendly.  A brick of cream cheese has a lot of carbs, is fulla fat and carries a trashy glycemic index.  Instead of using a crust, the author suggests putting your sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni on a base of cream cheese and grated parm with eggs whipped in.  Here’s the thing.  If you don’t have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, a gluten free diet may not be of much value.  It isn’t necessarily going to help you drop weight, especially if you make pizza on cheesecake instead of the standard crust.  Gang, use your head.  Some common sense recipe adjustments will help those on a gluten free diet stay healthy.  We'll work this out together. 

Oh, and stay away from those interwebs.  It is a crazy place.

As always, our guide will be that the food has to taste good.  That’s why today I’m suggesting two recipes that are gluten free, flavorful and guaranteed to make you  happy.  Additionally, the Fresh Fun Food blog is all about being cheap.  Turkey legs cost a buck each and the lentils go about fifteen cents a portion.  You’ll be able to feed four friends for well under ten dollars. 

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Grilled Curried Turkey Legs

2 fresh turkey legs

2 cups yogurt (yes, make your own)

3 tbs. curry powder

1 tbs. sweet paprika

3 tbs. grated ginger

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

salt and black pepper

Choose the freshest turkey legs.  Frozen do not grill well.

Debone the legs, separating the meat, bones and tendons.  Leave the skin on.  If you are uncomfortable boning the legs, ask you butcher to help out.  Lansdale Meats and Deli is the place I go to.

Here's what you'll need to marinate the legs.

Combine everything in a large mixing bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

The marinade should cover the turkey.

Cover the legs with plastic.  Marinate them for an hour or maybe over night in the refrigerator.

Preheat the broiler to high.  Raise the rack so that you can broil the legs about 6 inches from the flame.  Place the marinated legs on a broiler pan or baking sheet.  Broil for 5 minutes, turn, then broil on the other side for an additional 5 minutes.

When the legs are cooked through,

to 165°F, remove them from the broiler and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

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Red Lentil Dal

1 cup red lentils, washed

2 cups water

2 tbs. onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. unsalted butter

salt and black pepper

Heat a 2 quart pot, add the butter.  When the butter melts,

sauté onions and garlic until transparent.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the water, bring the dal to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

After simmering, the dal will be the consistency of lumpy mashed potatoes.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.  If you would like the dal to be thinner, bring it back up to heat and add 1/2 cup of water.

 

I served the sliced curried turkey legs with the red lentil dal and fresh spinach that had been quickly sautéed in butter.  One leg will serve two hungry people.