Sicilian Spinach Pie Recipes

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

ITALIAN SPINACH AND RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Place spinach in a skillet over medium heat and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook until onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Stir ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 whole eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the cooled spinach mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish.
• Unwrap the phyllo dough. Keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent phyllo sheets from drying out.
• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo over the buttered dish flush with the edge so that excess phyllo hangs over on only one side of the dish. Brush lightly with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo at a slight angle to the first one. Continue in this manner, with up to 12 sheets, brushing each sheet with butter and working clockwise to lay each at a slight angle to the previous sheet.
• Spoon cheese and spinach mixture evenly into the phyllo-lined dish. Using the back of a spoon, make six indentations in the filling, then carefully place 1 egg yolk in each. Season each yolk with salt and pepper and drizzle with a bit of melted butter.
• Take the extra phyllo dough hanging over the edges of the dish and fold it over to the centre to cover the filling, 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, brushing each one with butter. Brush the top of the whole pie with butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the phyllo pastry is a dark golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm.

SICILIAN SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 425' Use a pizza stone if you have one.
• Wash and Clean and Dry Spinach ·Roll out dough to (in form of a round pizza) ·Spread cheese all around center dough ·Spread Genoa Salami all around center dough ·Place Spinach in center of dough ·Take pits out of Olives and place throughout spinach ·Add Salt and Pepper to taste ·Sprinkle with a little Olive Oil Fold the ends of the dough to center (to tuck in spinach).
• Turn on to pizza pan/ stone.
• Poke a few air vents on top of pie.
• Let cook for around 25-30 minutes (turning it once).
• Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and eat.

CRUSTLESS SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Combine ricotta, mozzarella and eggs, mixing well.
• Blend in spinach.
• Add remaining ingredients mixing well.
• Pour into a buttered 10" springform pan.
• Drizzle the top with a small amount of olive oil for a golden color.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

ITALIAN SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roughly chop the spinach and mix with the ricotta cheese, eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper Add the mixture to the pie shell and bake in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes or until the mixture sets.

SICILIAN EASTER PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place raisins in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Cook over low heat or 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
• To Make Dough: In a medium bowl or in a food processor, combine flour and 1/3 cup superfine sugar. Cut in butter or pulse in processor until mixture looks like cornmeal. Mix in 1 egg yolk. Stir in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture holds together when you squeeze it. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• In a medium saucepan, combine cooked rice, milk, orange zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is creamy and thick. Remove from heat. Whisk 3 egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl. Gradually add hot rice mixture, about a cup at a time, whisking constantly. Stir in ricotta cheese, cooked raisins and cinnamon. Add vanilla and orange flower water. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll out 3/4 of the pastry dough into an 11-inch circle and line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and cut into lattice strips.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
• Pour filling into dough-lined pan. Criss-cross the lattice strips over the filling. Seal the lattice strips to the bottom pastry edge.
• Bake in preheated oven for an hour, or until pastry is golden brown. Cool at room temperature for about 4 hours, then keep refrigerated.

ITALIAN SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Brown sausage and onion, drain and return to pan. Add Italian seasoning and garlic. Add 2/3 of the beaten eggs, mix well.
• Add spinach, mix well and allow to cool.
• Lay flat the dough from both cans of rolls, do not seperate.
• Place one can od dough over bottom of a baking dish. Top with sausage mixture, then cheese. Place second layer of dough on the top; press sides together to seal. Brush top with remaining beaten egg.
• Bake at 350, app. 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.