Greek spinach pie and an orange splash sauce

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 teaspoons Virgin olive oil
¾ cup Fennel, chopped
1 cup Sweet onions, chopped
4 ounces Baby spinach leaves
1 pinch Dried dill
1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch Red pepper flakes
2 mediums Eggs, well beaten
¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Feta cheese, crumbled
8⅔ ounce Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheet, thawed as directed
Diet Butter Spray
½ cup Water
Long peel of orange zest, (1\" by 4\")
1 Sprig fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon Vegetarian bouillon, such as Better than Bouillion (tm)
1 tablespoon Shredded carrots
½ Orange, juice only
1 teaspoon Cornstarch, in solution

Directions

OPTIONAL ORANGE SPLASH

Anise is a marvelous addition to this classic. A sweet onion works well; we used a Mali. Subtle flavors (just pinches), yet the end result was full- bodied, satisfying. Hold the salt: our salt was in the Feta (350 mg sodium per ¼ cup). We did not rinse the cheese. Roughly dice (¼-inch) the bulb of the fennel, removing only the toughest core, and adding some of the stalk to make the measure. Roughly chop the onion. Open the pastry sheet and cut it to 8x8 inches. * Cut 5 Xs in the 8x8 sheet for ventilation.

Cover this piece with the damp dish towel. * Cut the remaining pieces of dough into smaller bits and scatter on the bottom of an 8-inch square non-stick baking pan. Place in the oven and heat the oven to 350F. Bake for about 7 additional minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven to cool a bit. Keep the oven turned on. While the pastry is cooking, heat a large skillet or flat bottom wok over medium - high; add a little of the oil and coat; saute the fennel for about 2 minutes. Add a little more oil, as needed, and the onion; continue to cook until almost soft. Add the baby spinach, the dill and the red and black peppers; cook almost 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat. Let cool a bit. In a small bowl, but one large enough to hold the egg and the vegetables, beat the eggs (or egg substitute); add pinch of nutmeg and black pepper.

Gradually (but quickly) fold in the vegetables, stirring as you do so that you do not actually cook the eggs. Add half the feta. Pour the mixture into the 8-inch square pan on top of the pastry bits. Sprinkle with the remaining feta. Cover with the raw pastry. Spray with a little bit of "Butter Oil" (such as "I can't believe it's not butter). Bake, 350F for 40 minutes or until the egg, when seen through the slits, is no longer bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit about 2 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces.

Serve with optional orange sauce.

Optional Orange Splash (Thin Sauce): Bring water and orange peel to a boil and keep the boil going. Add the rosemary, the finely grated carrot, the bouillon. Remove from the heat and add the juice and cornstarch solution.

Return to the heat and stir constantly until thickened. Strain into a bowl or gravy boat. Makes 1 cup. See Eating Well Mag, Mar/Apr 97 (p58) for a similar recipe made with phyllo/filo for a lower fat version of this pie.

Ours was about 400 cals per 4"-square, that 22⅗ g fat (50% cff). Salad won't help much but serve a hearty one anyway, to help resist the temptation to eat that 2nd portion. - -- phannema@... / McRecipe 11 Mar 97

Recipe by: Hanneman (1997) Eatwell.mcf Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #509 by PATh <phannema@...> on Mar 10, 1997.

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