Hellenistic

The spinach we planted in March is starting to bolt, so I took that as an opportunity to yank most of it up and do something fun with it. We loves us some spinach pie here, so I made it the center of a warm day dinner (though it does need the oven, it’s better eaten once it’s cooled off a bit.) The haul from the garden also included bolting arugula, some lettuces, and a few random herbs.

My Mom used to make this a lot, sometimes with broccoli mixed in, and I loved it then too, but when cooked in a baking dish the bottom dough always got soggy and gross from the liquid that the greens throw off during cooking. It was more than a little like wet newspaper. So today, innovation: the greens, chopped and tossed with three eggs beaten with lemon juice, crumbled feta, salt, pepper, and minced garlic became the filling for a giant log so that all the dough would crisp up and be delicious all the way around.

It worked. Plus, it sliced up really nicely into big rounds that plated all pretty-like. They enjoyed the company of beets- which roasted in foil alongside the big fat Greek stogie- and a superb salad. Tangy, soft and rich inside, crispy and flaky outside, without a trace of sogginess anywhere; this one is a keeper. There was also some chicken, but whatever about that. Behold the glory that was the interior of my baked brassica bat:

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12 Comments

  1. Zoomie
    June 3, 2008

    Looks good and I like the log innovation! I actually have Swiss chard now that the snails have been vanquished so I might try this once it really starts to bear!

  2. cookiecrumb
    June 4, 2008

    “Baked brassica bat.”
    Home run!

  3. We Are Never Full
    June 4, 2008

    Ahhh, I love spring. You reminded me to plant my arugula! This looks really nice and I can almost hear the crunch as you bite into it!

  4. Heather
    June 5, 2008

    Ooh, I love spinach pie too. And mushroom pie. In fact, any savory streudel is just about right up my alley.

  5. Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
    June 6, 2008

    Looks good – was it cuttable once it cooled? That’s always a problem I have with phyllo dough…

  6. peter
    June 7, 2008

    Zoomie: Rolled up before cooking. Crisp and perfect all around.

    CC: I totally crushed it into the cheap seats.

    Amy: The arugula gives it a nice tangy edge.

    Heather: Mushrooms will be next, as they become available.

    Hank: There was a little shattering of outer sheets, but mostly it cut cleanly (my knives are really sharp.)

  7. cook eat FRET
    June 9, 2008

    this looks so wonderful
    but
    god, i hate making pastry dough kinda stuff… it’s just never ever really good.

    was this phyllo? should i know this?

  8. cook eat FRET
    June 9, 2008

    yes, phyllo
    just had another look at the pic

  9. Brittany
    June 9, 2008

    MMM. Like a big delicious edible spliff.

  10. Moonbear
    June 10, 2008

    You’re making a sports fan out of me.

  11. peter
    June 17, 2008

    Brittany: Mmmmmm… edible spliff…

    Moonbear: I’m just here to help the ball club.

  12. Heather
    January 5, 2009

    I had two hits today from this post of yours. Then I realized that you refer to spinach as a Brassica when it’s actually in the Amaranthaceae like chenopods.

    That is all.

Comments are closed.