Recipe: Spanakopita Bake with Potato Crust (no phyllo dough)

SPANAKOPITA BAKE WITH POTATO CRUST
Vegetarian / Gluten-Free

"Whenever I have late-afternoon meetings in New York City, I usually meet up with Lu afterward for dinner, I always try to pick a spot I've been meaning to check out or that a friend recommended, or maybe a place that just opened and has gotten fabulous reviews. On one of these occasions, we went to Periyali, Lu's business partner's favorite Greek restaurant in the city, It didn't disappoint. When the waiter rattled off the specials, all I heard was "spanakopita" and promptly ordered it. Spanakopita is typically made with phyllo dough baked on top of a spinach-and-feta mixture, It's my favorite Greek dish and I'm excited to be able to enjoy it more often with this wholesome version that uses russet potatoes in place of the phyllo dough."



TIME TO PREPARE:
15 minutes
TIME TO COOK:
55 minutes

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Fine sea salt and pepper
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
7 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 russet potatoes, peeled

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Working in batches, add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes per batch, until wilted down and very dark green and any liquid released has evaporated.

Transfer the cooked spinach mixture to a large bowl and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add the feta and mix again. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the eggs. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the potatoes crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.

Arrange the potato slices in an even layer in the pie pan, covering the entire bottom. Evenly spread the filling on top. Cover with the remaining potato slices and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy. Slice into wedges and serve immediately.

TIP:
To make this dish spiralized, slice the potato halfway through lengthwise, being careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize the potato using Blade A to yield chip-like slices (blade A yields thin, ribbonlike noodles similar to pappardelle).

Makes 6 servings
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Per serving
Calories 316, Fat 21g, Sat Fat 10g, Sodium 579mg, Carbs 16g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 4g, Protein 17g

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: Inspiralized and Beyond: spiralize, chop, rice, and mash your vegetables into creative, craveable meals by Ali Maffucci