Mimsy Were the Borogoves

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Spinach feta bake

Jerry Stratton, September 2, 1995

This casserole-like dish doesn’t quite use “everything except the squeal”, but you’ll find that bacon grease is a great fat for making pie crusts.

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Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches spinach, parboiled and torn
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp oatmeal flakes
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp flour
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp finely chopped celery leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp sherry
  • 8 oz feta cheese
  • 1 lb bacon, strips
  • 3 tbsp chopped almond
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Crisp the bacon in a covered pan in the oven, occasionally draining the grease into your 2 quart baking dish.
  3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
  4. Add onion, oatmeal, and 1 tbsp flour to butter and sauté one or two minutes.
  5. Crush the garlic cloves into the pan.
  6. Add milk, salt, pepper, celery, thyme, worcestershire, and mushrooms to pan and cook on low until the mix thickens.
  7. Add the feta cheese, stirring until liquidy.
  8. Add sunflower seeds and spinach. Stir until well blended.
  9. Remove pan from heat.
  10. Mix enough flour (about 1/2 cup) with the bacon grease you’ve been saving. You’ll need enough dough for strips to cover the top of your 2-quart baking dish.
  11. Roll the dough flat and cut into strips.
  12. Crumble the crispy bacon into the baking dish.
  13. Add the almonds and sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons flour over the bacon.
  14. Cook the bottom crust at 400 degrees for ten minutes, then remove from oven.
  15. Add the sauté mix.
  16. Cover the top of the baking dish with criss-crossing strips of dough.
  17. Return to oven and cook at 350 degrees for fifty to sixty minutes.

This bake combines bacon with feta cheese, two ingredients that on their own go well with just about everything. Add a nice, crispy crust on the top and some traditional spices, and you’ve got a very comforting comfort meal with a unique taste.

  1. <- Jamaican rice
  2. Pizza dough ->