Spanakopita Nistisimi (Lenten Spinach Pie)
Submitted by maya2000
A dairy-free Greek spinach pie with homemade olive oil pastry, fresh spinach, curly endive, dill, scallions, and lemon zest. Traditional Lenten spanakopita, completely vegan.
YIELD
1 piePREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsNo cheese, no eggs, no butter. Just pure, herb-scented greens wrapped in handmade pastry. This is spanakopita the way it’s been made during Lent in Greece for generations.
The filling is a mountain of fresh spinach and curly endive, wilted down and tossed with sautéed scallions, heaps of fresh dill, parsley, and bright lemon zest. The pastry is a simple olive oil dough, rolled thin and layered with more oil for flaky, golden results.
A scattering of rice on the bottom absorbs excess moisture, and sesame seeds on top add a nutty crunch that makes every slice feel special.
Kitchen Tips
- Squeeze the wilted greens as dry as possible. This is the single most important step for a crispy, not soggy, pie.
- Let the dough rest at least an hour before rolling. It needs time to relax so you can stretch it thin without tearing.
- Roll the pastry as thin as you can manage. The thinner the layers, the flakier the finished pie.
- Brush each layer generously with fruity olive oil. It’s doing the job that butter would normally do.
Ingredients
Directions
Start by making the pastry.
Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder.
Mix in about 6 tablespoons water, a little at a time, until the dough is gooey, but not wet.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus another teaspoonful, and a little more flour, if needed, to make a cohesive mass.
Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Cover it and set aside to relax for an hour or two.
For the filling, separate the curly endive leaves, so the vegetable will cook in the same time.
Steam the spinach and endive together in a large pan, in the water clinging to the leaves, plus just an extra ½ cup.
Turn the leaves over occasionally, so they wilt evenly.
When they are wilted, but not mushy, drain them in a colander, pressing firmly with the back of a wooden spoon to remove as much excess liquid as possible.
Sauté the scallions in 2 tablespoons olive oil, until barely soft.
Add a few tablespoons of water if they stick to the pan.
Roughly chop the cooked spinach and curly endive and finely grate the zest from the lemon.
Then toss the cooked vegetables with the scallions, parsley, dill, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, and pepper, adding 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Set aside until you are ready to fill the pastry.
Choose an ovenproof earthenware or glass baking dish 2 to 2½ inches deep and about 2-quart capacity and brush the inside with oil.
Divide the pastry into two unequal parts, and then again into halves.
On a floured surface roll out one of the larger pieces of pastry.
This should be large enough to line the dish, coming up and over the sides - this should make it very thin.
Fit it into the baking dish and brush it with olive oil. Do the same with the second piece of pastry, placing it on top of the first, and brush again with olive oil.
Sprinkle the tablespoon of rice or cracked wheat over the bottom, to soak up excess juices, and fill with the spinach and herb mixture.
Roll out the remaining two pieces of pastry, separately, to fit the top of the dish.
Place the first on top of the spinach, brush with olive oil, then place the second on top of that.
Prick the pastry with a fork in an attractive pattern and brush the entire top with olive oil.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350℉ (180℃) F for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.
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