Spinach Pie

A traditional Italian recipe from my mom, this one is always a winner. And it wins Super Bowls. I was rooting for the Chiefs in 2023 and made a pie with “Go Chiefs” as the fork piercings, and they won, so, evidence.

Total time: 2 hours. Makes about 2 pies.

Materials: 1 mixing bowl; measuring vessels; rolling pin (or glass if you’re feeling rustic); frying pan; baking sheets. Missing materials or ingredients? Look here.

Instructions:

1. Helpful to do the night before, but can also be done an hour ahead: boil the spinach and let cool, then wring out the water and chop finely.
2. To make the crust, add together the flour and salt, then crumble in the butter with your hands. Add warm water, using your hands to mix, until the dough just comes together into a shaggy bowl. Cover and let sit while making the filling.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375˚F.
4. To make the filling, heat olive oil and/or butter on a pan on the stove. Sauté one chopped onion along with salt and pepper. When the onion is softened, add the spinach. Cook until it is not watery. Turn off the heat and add the egg and grated cheese.
5. Split the dough into 4 pieces (for two pies, or for one big one into 2 pieces). Roll out the dough until it is very thin. This may take some patience. Place this layer on the pan. Roll out the top layer. Spread some of the filling onto the bottom layer, then cover with the top layer and pinch together the edges, bottom edge over top where possible, removing any excess dough. Repeat for the other pie if you still have dough and filling.
6. Poke holes in the top layer with a fork so you don’t get unmanageable bubbles.
7. Bake at 375˚F for ~45 minutes, until tops are browned. Optional to remove from pan and let cook directly on oven rack for a few minutes to get the bottoms crispy. Enjoy!