Tag: kale

Spanakopita series: episode 3

You could be forgiven for thinking that, after the success of my second pie, there wouldn’t be any more recipe attempting or tinkering.

But I was still itching to try my hand at homemade pastry and, in the interests of being thorough in my research, I still had at least three other recipes I wanted to try to experiment with for the filling.

Feeling invigorated by my recent success, I had another scan of my options.… Read More Spanakopita series: episode 3

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Spanakopita series: episode 2

There were many moments during episode 1 of this series where I honestly believed there would be no episode 2. After clearing out the final piece of my first spanakopita, it was nearly two months before I could gather my strength to try again.

I reviewed my shortlist of recipes again and, though I had decided commercial phyllo wasn’t fit for purpose here, I still had half a pack in the freezer, and its unorthodox use by Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats caught my eye. Everything from Nagi’s recipe was unorthodox, in fact…… Read More Spanakopita series: episode 2

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Spanakopita series: episode 1

Where I last left you, I had just finalised my shortlist of contenders for the perfect spanakopita. Yasmin Khan’s latest book Ripe Figs was already open on my kitchen cookbook stand, so her recipe seemed the natural place to start. If my first Spanakopita post has given you any indication of how long it took me to reach this particular point, you can likely understand that, once I had settled on the recipes, I wanted to jump right in. Nothing could deter me.… Read More Spanakopita series: episode 1

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Spanakopita series: prologue

If you will allow me to wax nostalgic for a moment, let me tell you about the first time I discovered spanakopita (Greek spinach pie).

It was, of course, in Greece, on a trip with my sisters some 10 years ago. In Thessaloniki, we walked past a roadside shop with humongous trays full of the stuff sitting innocuously in the window.

Encased in a flaky yet tender, crumbly yet moist, golden crust, was a filling of hearty, bitter greens with the zip of an abundance of herbs, delicately balanced with the sweetness that only comes from slow-cooked alliums and peppered with salty white cheese. The rich indulgence of the cheese offset the earthy, herbaceous greens beautifully. The two pie elements were married perfectly, neither overpowering the other; the perfect ratio of pastry to stuffing.

Spanakopita had our hearts and our tastebuds.… Read More Spanakopita series: prologue

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