My introduction to Greek food came when I was quite young, at Ikaros restaurant in Baltimore, and I found it wonderfully exciting. It was always a treat to go to Ikaros since it was so far afield from my usual haunts; Greektown is near the industrial part of the harbor, almost an hour drive from our house, so I felt like I was really in Baltimore City itself. (It’s also just around the corner from the research campus where my father works, which from my childhood perspective only heightened the cachet.)
Ikaros has been in the same place, run by the same family, with the same chef, since 1969 – and it’s still as busy as ever. The food is delicious and homey, authentic but not overly exotic, and totally unpretentious (right down to the simple names given to most dishes on the menu). I invariably ordered the cheese pies, spinach pie or moussaka, plus custard pie for dessert; I can still summon a memory of the flavors without any effort.
Perhaps fittingly, the Greek restaurant Evvia in Palo Alto became one of my “grown-up” favorites. Evvia takes a very different approach from Ikaros, elevating traditional dishes to become refined and elegant (and always naming them in Greek on the menu!). I still gravitate to the same dishes, but at Evvia the spanakopita is made with feta cheese with a provenance, the moussaka contains lamb ragout instead of beef, and the galaktoboureko is transformed into a chic little confection. (Alas, there is no “cheese pie” equivalent.)
While I would leap at the opportunity to eat again at either restaurant, I love being able to recreate some of my favorite dishes at home. In particular, spanakopita – or as my family will always call it, thanks to Ikaros, “spinach pie” – makes a healthy and tasty lunch that is also highly portable.
It’s slightly labor-intensive to squeeze the spinach and then to layer and oil the phyllo dough, so try and recruit a second person to help if you can! This recipe depends a lot on the quality of your ingredients, since there is very little seasoning, so in particular, look for the best feta you can find.
Spinach Pie (aka Spanakopita)
1 pkg frozen phyllo dough
4 pkg frozen spinach
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
12 oz feta cheese (I love the French goat milk feta at Whole Foods)
3 eggs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Defrost spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Dice feta into 1/2 inch pieces.
Saute onions in olive oil until softened. Add parsley and spinach, continue to saute for a few minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in beaten eggs and diced feta, being careful not to break up the cheese. Season with salt and pepper as desired (this will partially depend on how salty the feta is; generally speaking, adding little to no salt is just fine).
Brush olive oil onto the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Lay two sheets of phyllo into the dish, then brush lightly with oil. Repeat until you have about 12 sheets.
Spread spinach mixture evenly into the dish. Top with two more sheets of phyllo, again brushing with olive oil. Repeat until you have about 8 sheets on top.
Cut into eight pieces (this will make it much easier to serve).
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Shakshuka (baked eggs)
Penne alla Vodka
Summer gazpacho
Fresh corn salad
I always read spanakopita as "spank-o-pita."
Your spinach pie recipe looks good and a lot easier to make than I thought. I'm gonna have to try this. 🙂