Author Notes: “Our version of matzo ‘lasagna’ gets the Greek treatment when married with the classic spinach pie. Here, matzo replaces the commonly used phyllo dough, givin (…more) —Sarah Jampel
Serves 4 to 6
- 4tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2tablespoons potato starch
- 2cups whole milk
- 1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1cup sliced shallots
- 1garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1pound fresh spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3large eggs
- 1teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 4sheets matzo
- 1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2cup pine nuts, toasted
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk in the potato starch. Slowly pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking continuously to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the milk has thickened and the starchy flavor has cooked out, 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Whisk the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and salt into the sauce. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until fully cooled, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a colander with a clean kitchen towel and set in the sink. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook the spinach, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 6 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture into the colander and use the kitchen towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside to cool.
- If using frozen spinach, add it to the pan with the sautéed shallots and garlic and cook until the spinach is dry and the mixture is evenly combined, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool before incorporating into the recipe.
- Remove the cooled sauce from the refrigerator and whisk in the eggs. Stir the lemon zest into the spinach mixture. Lay one sheet of matzo in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover with ½ cup sauce, then spread 1 cup of the spinach mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan, 3 tablespoons of the feta, and 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts. Place another sheet of matzo on top, pressing down gently. Repeat the layers, then cover the final sheet of matzo with the remaining sauce, Parmesan, and feta.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until the feta on top turns golden brown, the sauce puffs up, and the matzo softens, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
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Healthy Eating