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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie -- Low-Carb, Wheat-Free & Healthy

This evening I made my Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie for dinner. It is one of my favorites. It can be made with either fresh spinach that has been wilted and squeezed dry or, if you prefer, thawed frozen spinach that has been squeezed dry. It uses anywhere from 10 ounces up to 16 ounces of spinach (depending on your personal preference). I usually use the full 16 ounces because I really love spinach, but I have made it both ways and either way is good. I love the fact that I can still enjoy a wheat-free. low-carb crust that is delicious and healthy. Even though it is meatless, it is still protein rich because of the eggs, almond flour and feta cheese -- it keeps me satisfied for hours. It makes a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. It reminds me of the spanakopita I used to love to eat. With this recipe, I am still able to enjoy all the same fresh flavors of the traditional version without the harmful affects from wheat and gluten found in wheat-based filo pastry. I snapped a couple of photos for you to see below as well as the recipe. Enjoy!





Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie

Ingredients:

For the Crust
2 cups almond flour
3 tablespoons cold butter, diced into small cubes
1 egg
1 teaspoon Greek Seasoning (or Italian Seasoning), optional 

For the Filling:

10 oz. fresh spinach (up to 16 oz), cooked and squeezed dry and chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 to 2 teaspoons, if using fresh)
1 to 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 eggs (or 1-1/4 cups Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup half-n-half, cream or milk

Directions:


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Place all crust ingredients in a medium bowl.  Cut butter and egg into flour with a pastry/dough cutter until mixture resembles small pebbles and the flour is thoroughly moistened (the same way you prepare a pie crust).  Press crust mixture into a 9.5 - 10" pie dish or tart pan (I use a 10" Pyrex pie dish).  Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from oven and set aside.

Increase oven temp to 350 degrees F.  In a non-stick skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent; remove and set aside.  In the same skillet, saute spinach, just until wilted.  Drain and press as much liquid out of the spinach as possible (I use a mesh strainer and press it with the back of a large spoon).  Place well drained spinach in a medium bowl; add cooked onions and garlic, feta, dill, lemon zest, pepper, eggs and half-n-half.  Mix until well combined.  Pour mixture into the lightly baked crust and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes; lower oven temp to 325 F (so edge of crust doesn't over brown); bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until filling and eggs are set and cooked .  If the center still seems a little jiggly, cook an additional few minutes.

10 comments:

  1. Hi, love your recipes! Have you ever made this pie with kale? Seems like it might work if the kale was cooked sufficiently. What do you think? Thanks!

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  2. It never occurred to me to use the frozen spinach! 'Cause when you buy the fresh stuff you have to use it right away so it's as fresh as possible. It doesn't last too long in the frig. I see more greek spinach feta pies in my future. :-)

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  3. Hi Cammie! Thanks...glad you are enjoying the recipes. I'm sure you could substitute cooked kale in this recipe -- here is a link to a sausage/baby kale/white cheddar pie I made that turned out great using kale http://www.gourmetgirlcooks.com/2013/09/sausage-baby-kale-white-cheddar-quiche.html :-)

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  4. Hi Loretta!

    You are right about having to use the fresh spinach promptly -- I had to throw out a container last week for the first time. One of my readers always uses frozen organic spinach that she simply thaws and squeezes dry before using and she loves it that way! In the winter time, it is also easier to stock the freezer with frozen spinach to pull out when you want to use it, too. I just enjoyed a piece of it for my lunch! :-)

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  5. Another recipe that is made of win. Actually, I used your crust recipe to make a chicken pot pie. Amazing! My husband said to me: "this crust is even flaky." Yes, yes it was. Tonight, grilled cheese using your bagel bread recipe. Don't know what I would do without your genius. :)

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  6. Hi Becca! That's great that you are trying different things with it -- and even better that your husband liked it, too! What a great idea making grilled cheese with the bagel bread, too! Don't you love it when you can create other foods like that by mixing and matching? Glad you are enjoying the recipes! :-)

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  7. Thanks so much for your great recipes, my husband & I are trying to do a paleo type diet. It's such a different way of thinking about how to eat. I need lots of help, so thank-you SO much, we LOVED your spinach pie! God bless you & keep cooking!

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  8. Thanks so much Nursesheri! I'm so glad you enjoyed the spinach pie -- it is one of my favorites! I'm surprised I haven't turned green yet from making it so much! I'm glad you are enjoying the recipes -- and you are right, it is a different way to look at and think about food. But once you get used to it, it makes sense! :-)

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  9. Have baked this and it's a cracker. BTW, I used ground almonds rather than almond flour and it still worked a treat. Thanks.

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