This recipe was developed for my food truck business. It’s colorful, healthy, and has a lot of flavor. It is served cold or at room temperature. If you make it ahead of time, wait until you’re ready to serve it before adding the scallions on top because it should be stirred before serving as some of the dressing will settle to the bottom. Enjoy, and be sure to post a photo of your results here or on my Facebook page.
Makes 8-10 servings
1 15-16 ounce can of Black Beans drained & rinsed well
1 cup long grain white or brown rice cooked & cooled to room temp.
1 red bell pepper seeded & small diced
1 green bell pepper or 2 medium large Jalapeno peppers seeded & small diced
1 medium red onion diced small
1/3 cup of chopped scallions, white & green parts separated
Dressing ingredients:
¼ cup of chopped fresh Cilantro or 1 tablespoon of dried
1/3 cup of Olive oil or Avocado oil
2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider or Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons of sugar, honey or agave
2 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of paprika
2 teaspoons of dried granulated garlic or fresh minced garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together thoroughly, let them sit for 5 minutes and whisk again. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper and sweetness. It shouldn’t taste really sweet or really tart, balance with more sugar or more vinegar. Salt will make both of these flavors more pronounced, so adjust that first.
Mix rice, beans, peppers, scallion whites, and red onion together. Add dressing and combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Place into serving bowl and top with scallion greens right before serving.
When the words spinach pie are spoken, many people think of Spanakopita. Spanakopita is the Greek version of spinach pie and probably the most well-known version. Spinach pie can also be found in other forms though, Lebanese spinach pies are small and made with a soft dough, Italian spinach pies are made in pie crust and often contain Ricotta cheese.
I developed my own spinach pie recipe on a rainy day when I wanted something similar to a quiche but with less egg and more spinach and cheese. A couple of pies later, I settled on this recipe. It is one of my husbands’ favorites. I have included information on substitutions, all of which work just fine. I hope you enjoy it and please post photos of your results on the Chef About Food Facebook page.
Chef Kerry’s Spinach Pie (Makes two 9” pies)
1 bag of chopped frozen spinach
1 medium or large yellow onion diced
1 tsp of minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup of crumbled feta, grated Parmesan, grated pecorino, aged Asiago, or any other sharp flavored cheese that’s dry enough to crumble. (If you use something like cheddar or Swiss here, it will be too greasy)
8 slices of Swiss, American, Gouda, or Fontina cheese (Enough to completely cover the bottom of the pie crusts without a lot of overlapping)
4 large eggs
2 Tablespoons milk or half and half (you can use unsweetened unflavored nut milk instead)
2 raw pie crusts (thawed if frozen)
1/2 cup shredded or grated cheese of your choice (I prefer a blend Parmesan and Provolone)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and lightly sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, stir and cook for about 2 minutes. If it starts to get too dark, turn the heat down. Add garlic, red pepper flake, and mushrooms if using, stir and cook until mushrooms and onions are soft and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, prick pie crusts all over with a fork and place on a sheet pan in the oven for about 7 minutes or until they are very lightly browned but not cooked all the way. Remove from oven and set aside until cool. (You May use pie weights if you have them).
Add spinach to the pan with onions and stir thoroughly, then turn to low and cover the pan for 5 minutes. Check after the 5 minutes to make sure it’s not too dry or sticking. If it’s dry, scrape away all food from the very center of the pan and add another teaspoon or two of oil to the center of the pan. Let the oil heat for about 30 seconds then stir through the spinach mixture. Continue to cook, uncovered, for another 2-3 minutes and then taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and let cool, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, until you can touch with your pinky for 5 seconds and not get burned.
Line the bottom of the pie crusts with one layer of the sliced cheese. Try to cover the whole bottom but not overlap too much. This will help to seal the bottom crust and keep it from becoming soggy.
In a bowl large enough to hold the spinach mixture and the eggs, use a fork to lightly beat the eggs and milk with a pinch of salt and pepper until blended together.
Add the spinach mix and the crumbled feta into the bowl with the eggs and stir well to combine. Divide spinach mixture between the two pie shells and smooth out.
Cook the pies on the sheet pan in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until it is set. Check by lightly shaking the pan, if the pies jiggle, they are not done.
When pies are set, remove from oven and set the oven to low broil. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly on top of both pies and place back in the oven until cheese is melted and browned if desired, 1-3 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY DURING THIS PART. You must watch the pies while under the broiler so they do not burn, this can happen really fast!
Remove pies from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
