Who Says Pie Has to Be a Dessert

In my family, everyone bonds over a shared love for food. No get-together is complete without a full spread of Greek cuisine, and recipes are more valued than money itself. So this week, I decided to feature one of my favorite Greek foods: spanikopita. Made only on special occasions, this spinach pie is practically considered a delicacy. Enjoy this old family recipe I got from observing my family in the kitchen.

Recipe #2: Spani(kopita)- The Greek Spinach Pie
When I was younger (and still could hope that one day I wouldn't suck so much at cooking), I'd repeatedly ask my dad if he could teach me how to make spani. When he was tired of me asking, I was brought to my church's kitchen, where many of my family members were preparing the dish for our upcoming bazaar. Making spani was like a past-time for these people; every Wednesday, they'd get up early and come right to the kitchen to get cooking. I figured there were no better people to learn from than the experts themselves.

Disclaimer: the following recipe is just my take-away from that experience. There is no exact recipe for making really good spani; all of the measurements below are just my family's best estimates.

So according to my aunts, cousins, and grandparents, here's what you're going to need:
-olive oil
-2 lbs of rinsed and chopped spinach
-1 cup of ricotta cheese
-1 cup of feta (we really do like our Greek cheeses)
-8 sheets of phyllo dough
-3 lightly beaten eggs
-baking pan

Let's get started.

First, you have to oil the baking pan (believe me, I only needed to forget this first step once to understand that). When the pan is ready to go, sauté the spinach until it has a slightly limp consistency. Mix the eggs and cheese in a bowl, and then add in the cooked spinach. In the pan, you can now start adding the bottom layer of phyllo dough. Add a sheet of phyllo, oil it, and then add three more sheets (oiling in between layers of course). Your next step is to dump in the spinach mixture, making sure there is an even spread across the whole pan. Finally, add the remaining four layers of phyllo, oil it up, and you're good to go! Just put the spani in the oven for 45 minutes and enjoy however you want; part of its beauty is that it goes well on its own or as a side.

adding the spinach mixture

my aunt with her finished product

Now don't get me wrong, I am not a spinach person. Somehow, this dish tastes good despite the fact that its covered in disgusting leafy greenness- and my friends would agree. Even the pickiest of eaters seem to enjoy this recipe; sometimes I feel it has some type of magic power. But regardless of its ingredients, taking in the smell of spani's browning phyllo has come to be like an aroma therapy to me.

So the next time you can't decide what to have for dinner or how to cater your birthday party, consider trying this dish. Just channel your inner Greek and get cooking.