Clean Eating Spanakopita Casserole

It has taken me a long time to get used to the traditional Greek flavor profile.  Some things are still growing on me, but in the last couple of years, I've really come around to spinach and feta and red onion, in particular.  I can lay credit at the feet of The Barefoot Contessa, for it was her Spinach Pie in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook that turned me around.  Needless to say, it is also a classic Ina Garten dish and therefore not remotely healthy.

I was ecstatic, then, to find this recipe in the latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine which presents an easy light dish (once you wrestle with the phyllo) that incorporates the tangy cheesy elements of the spinach pie I love along with the healthy light feeling you should get when eating Greek foods. 

The recipe needed very little tweaking to make it a big hit in our house, although I spiced things up a bit because I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I believe it could use at least twice the feta, but my husband reminded me that I love cheesiness and it cuts against the lightness to add more.  The amount referenced below is the original amount, but if you love feta and have room for it in your healthy eating plan, shamelessly add more.  I added garlic, chili flakes and pine nuts because I think if you can, you should.  I did eliminate the sweet red pepper from this recipe which takes it down a notch vegetable-wise, but sweet peppers are one flavor that still falls outside my comfort zone. If you like, add 1 tablespoon or more finely chopped sweet red pepper.

Spanakopita Casserole (adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)

•  1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 3 large bags (27 ounces or 36 cups, loosely packed) of fresh baby spinach
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• 4 sheets phyllo dough (whole wheat if you can find it), 13x18 inches each
• Additional olive oil in mister or spray

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat olive oil in a (very) large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, pine nuts and pepper flakes and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add spinach in batches, letting each cook down slightly before adding more.  Cover tightly and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
2. Drain spinach mixture and remove all excess liquid in a colander.  Set aside and let cool (this took quite awhile for me - if you're in a rush, put it in the fridge). 
3. When mixture has cooled, add dill, mint and egg white.  Mix well.  Fold in feta cheese and set aside.
4. Mist a 9x9inch casserole dish (1 1/2 quart volume) with olive oil.  Cut or gently tear each phyllo strip into 4 sections (approximately 3 inch wide sections).  Place 3-4 strips across casserole, overlapping slightly and letting phyllo hang over both ends of dish.  Place an additional 3-4 strips going in the opposite direction.  Mist strips with olive oil.  Continue layer as such until all strips are used, misting each layer.
5. Spoon spinach mixture into center of dish and gently spread evenly across phyllo.  Fold strips over to cover all spinach.  Mist lighly with olive oil.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing.  This makes about 4 entree portions or 8 side portions.

Reheating: The microwave can make the phyllo mushy, so I recommend using a toaster oven to reheat portions.  Also, the phyllo will continue to brown on re-heating, so keep that in mind.