As I write this post, I am sitting in the warm Florida sun, watching my kids swim and planning our Easter menu. Not a bad way to spend the day. We are heading home tonight and I hear the weather is pretty nice in New York too. Spring has officially sprung and this tart is the perfect way to celebrate.
Growing up, one of my favorite Egyptian foods was the spinach pie my mom made with phyllo dough. It’s our version of spinakopita, a traditional Greek dish. Since I can’t have phyllo dough, I decided to make my own spin, in a tart shell with the Gee Free Foods puff pastry I recently found at a local market.
The end result satisfied my craving and will definitely make it to our Easter Sunday dinner table along with a spiral ham, a traditional Egyptian fattah (braised lamb dish) and some beet-pickled eggs. What’s on your menu?
- 3 small fingerling Potatoes, sliced into ¼" thick rounds
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- One sheet gee free foods puff pastry defrosted, or your favorite
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 oz baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
- Season potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and tender.
- In the meantime, roll out dough, on a lightly floured surface, to fit your tart pan. I used a 13 x 4 rectangle so I rolled it to 15 x 6 to fit up the sides on the pan. Place the dough in the pan and poke the bottom all over with a fork, to prevent it from puffing while it bakes. Place dough in refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill.
- Reduce oven heat to 375. Once dough is chilled, bake in the oven on a sheet tray until bottom is no longer opaque and beginning to golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add remaining alive oil and butter. Once melted, add shallots and mushrooms and sauté 8-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until deep golden brown at edges and cooked through. Add minced garlic and toss until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from fire and toss in spinach, in batches, until it begins to wilt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove mixture to a large bowl and add roasted potatoes, feta cheese and egg. Toss gently until combined and fill tart shell with mixture, pressing in as needed, so as not to overflow.
- Bake tart for an additional 20-25 minutes or until edges are deeply golden and filling is set. Remove from heat and serve immediately or at room temperature.
