Number Nine: Cook a National Dish

Let’s face it: Spanakopita isn’t the official national dish of Greece, but really, do you even know what Moussaka (the real national dish) is? I don't.

When I think of Greek food I think of two things: Baklava and Spanakopita.  Both delicious.  Both carved out of phylo dough.           

I chose to make Spanakopita after watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It took me 4 hours (the cooking, not the movie watching) with the help of my mom, who is a fantastic cook. In addition, it was super difficult to fold the phylo dough up without breaking it.  I don’t know how Greek women do it! I have a feeling it doesn't take THEM four hours to make it.

In conclusion, expanding your culinary horizons is a lot of work. At least when you’re making Spanakopita. I found a recipe that turned out deliciously. It also used a bucket-load (no pun intended) of butter. But the spinach (2 pounds total) helped to make it a little bit healthier.

As I took a crispy bite, letting my teeth sink into a mound of crackling phylo, melted feta cheese, and lemony spinach, I could practically smell the salty air of the Greek Santorini Islands. The four hours of work didn't seem quite so bad.

A GREAT GREEK SPANAKOPITA RECIPE:

MAKES 60

1/3 cup olive oil

2 pounds spinach, washed and drained

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 pound filo pastry sheets

 1/4
cup minced fresh mint leaves

  2
tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves

  3
medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

  1
teaspoon grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

  1
teaspoon ground nutmeg

  1/2
teaspoon ground black pepper

   1/4
teaspoon table salt

   1/8
teaspoon cayenne pepper

GETTING STARTED:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).

Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture. Mix in mint, dill, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.

Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

Variation: Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, and spread 6 sheets of filo, brushing each with butter, on the bottom. Spoon the spinach filling over the filo, then cover with 6 more sheets of filo, buttering each sheet. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

They turned out really tiny, but work as great appetizers (or a meal if you make them larger into larger squares by cutting each phylo dough sheet in half.)

I recommend making this if you want to cross the national dish off your bucket list (although make sure to set apart lots of time)

Otherwise, here are some other great national dishes:

• Ackee and Saltfish from Jamaica
• Coo-Coo and Flying Fish from Barbados
• Bulgogi from Korea
• Kibbeh from Lebanon/Syria
• Goulash from Hungary
• Wiener Schnitzel from Austria
• Pot-au-Feu from France
• Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding from England
• Irish Stew from Ireland

Or even, Hamburgers from the USA!

~Ultimate Dia

Christine