Did you know Popeye the Sailor Man was a wellness influencer?
When the US needed a Depression-era population, depleted of iron and coin, to eat meat-free, they turned to everyone’s favourite monochrome superhero.
As Popeye downed tins of spinach, up went sales; canned spinach experienced a 30% increase, becoming a top-three food for US kids, after turkey and ice-cream.
Though spinach’s iron content (2.7mg for every 100g) was overstated in 1930s America, the leafy green is certainly nutritious, chock-full of folate, potassium and vitamins. But spinach’s real power for cooks is in the way it makes anything it touches greener, because of its chlorophyll pigment.
To keep leaves as green as possible, spinach needs to be blanched and “‘shocked” to stop it from overcooking and turning grey. Spinach blanches almost instantly, so to avoid losing its nutritional and pigment potential, either dip it in boiling water for 10 seconds or pour a kettle’s worth of just-boiled water over the leaves in a colander, then cool them down quickly with an ice water bath or a rinse under a cold tap. Make sure to squeeze the excess liquid out, then whiz the spinach with herbs, aromatics and oil before straining to make vibrant green oil, or stir through cream or creme fraiche for verdant creamy sauces.
Baby spinach is like adding a brooch – a pop of colour. Use it anywhere you need extra veg: a handful in sandwiches and wraps, stirred through stews and pasta sauces once the heat is off. You can use English spinach in the same way but wash it well first, then tear or finely slice, as it’s more fibrous.
To keep spinach fresher for longer, wash, spin dry, then pop it back into the container you bought it in with some paper towel to help absorb excess moisture. Add dressings to spinach-y salads just before serving to avoid wilted leaves –especiallyif the dressing is zippy, because acids (like lemon juice and vinegar) will turn the leaves yellow.
Spinach breaks down to almostnothingas it cooks so, from a cost perspective, if you’re using spinach in large quantities, opt for frozen, unless you’re a lucky duck growing your own.
I’ve always got frozen spinach on hand to use in smoothies, soups, frittata and more.
If you remember, it’s always best to thaw frozen spinach overnight in the fridge, sitting on a kitchen towel, to absorb the liquid around the spinach as it melts. If you’re in a hurry, pour boiling water over the frozen spinach clumps. Once thawed, you can treat spinach as though it has just been freshly blanched, by draining and squeezing out the excess moisture as I do for the pan pies below.
There’s usually no need to thaw it at all when adding frozen spinach to liquids such as soups, smoothies and juices – just take note of the additional moisture content and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
This recipe is a loose play onkhachapuri imeruli(Georgian cheese bread). For a population of less than 4 million, Georgia has more than 20 regional cheese breads and, though this is less familiar than theadjarulicheese and egg boats, it’s one my mum makes often (sans spinach).
Though traditionally animeruliuses a yeasted dough to encase cheeses likesuluguni, which is hard to find in Australia, I’ve adapted the dough into a speedy yoghurt flatbread and used cheeses you might have in your fridge. You could even use pizza cheese with some feta.
The hot honey is a nice-to-have rather than a non-negotiable. If serving in a heat-avoidant household, simply sprinkle with salt flakes and add a little drizzle of honey.
Makes4 medium pies
For the dough:1 cup (280g) Greek (or natural) yoghurt1 tsp salt flakes2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
For frying:¼ cup olive oil2 tbsp butter
For the filling:500g frozen spinach(defrost overnight or use from frozen, see below)150g block of feta100g cheddar cheese, grated100g firm mozzarella, grated3 spring onions, tops finely sliced, whites reserved1 tsp freshly cracked pepperGood pinch of salt flakes
For the chilli honey drizzle:¼ cup mild-flavoured honey1 tsp mild chilli flakesGood pinch of salt flakes
For the baby spinach salad:125g (a container or bag) baby spinach3 reserved spring onion whites, sliced on an angleJuice of half a lemon(or tbsp of light vinegar, such as white wine or apple cider)
In a medium bowl, combine the yoghurt and salt to dissolve, then dump in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy mess. Now get your hands in there to form a ball of dough and then turn it out on to a clean, floured surface and start kneading for about five minutes, pushing the dough away from you, then back over itself. You will want some extra flour on hand for the kneading to keep it from sticking. The dough’s ready when it’s smooth and springs back when you pop a fingerpad into it. Place a tea towel over it while you make your filling.
Dump your frozen spinach clumps into a heat-proof colander and pour boiling water over them, and swish it around with a wooden spoon to help speed up the defrost (if you thawed yours in the fridge overnight, skip this step).
Place the rest of the filling ingredients into a medium bowl. Once the spinach is cool enough to touch, pop it in a tea towel and squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can. Add the spinach to the other filling ingredients and mix to combine with your wooden spoon. Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking.
In the bowl, divide the dough into four even pieces using a board scraper or knife. Pull out a dough quarter, then cover the rest of the mix with your towel.
Sprinkle flour on a rolling pin (or bottle) and bench to prevent sticking. Roll out the ball of dough into approximately 10cm rounds. Divide the filling mixture into four and pop a quarter into the middle of the dough round, then fold the edges over the filling so it’s covered, flattening down to seal it all together. Try to avoid any holes here, otherwise the filling will escape. With your rolling pin, roll back out to a 10cm to 12cm round that’s approximately 2cm thick. You can roll each pie out at once then keep the ready ones under a clean tea towel if prepping ahead, or make each on the fly as you’re waiting for the previous pie to fry.
Meanwhile, to make the hot honey, add the honey ingredients to a small saucepan and place on a low heat. Cook gently for a few minutes until the honey is warmed through and runny. Switch off the heat and leave the chilli to infuse.
Heat a medium-sized pan on medium, then add a drizzle of the oil and a teaspoon of butter and wait for it to foam and melt. Pop a pie into the pan and cook on low to medium for three minutes on each side. They might need another minute or two on either side, with a drizzle more oil, depending on the thickness of your pies and the heat-retention of your pan. You want a deep golden colour and edges that are creamy white rather than opaque, which tells you that the dough hasn’t fully cooked through yet.
Repeat the process with each pan pie. To keep your cooked ones warm, stack in a tea towel in a warm spot, or put them in an oven set to 100C conventional.
To make the salad, combine the baby spinach and spring onion in a large mixing bowl with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Dress with lemon just before serving and toss to combine. Serve with the warm pies and the hot honey drizzle.
Leftover pies will last five days in the fridge and will be great for lunch the following day, either cold or reheated.