This pie has its roots in wartime cooking--that's World War II--so it's an old recipe but a good one. I've also updated and revised it considerably for modern tastes and kitchens. The pie is simple to put together and relies on inexpensive, pre-cooked spinach-feta chicken sausage for convenience. Because the pie incorporates spinach, pasta, and protein, it's an easy one-dish meal. All you really need to complete your dinner is a salad and perhaps some bread. What about dessert, you say? Well, stay tuned for some cookie recipes (they're coming). How does the pie taste? Really, really good. It's creamy, gently seasoned, and has a salty bite from the feta. With plenty of pasta included, the dish is also kid (and adult) friendly. Those home cooks during the war years knew a good thing when they had it. Simple, filling, cheap, and good!
Sausage, Spinach, and Feta Pie -- Serves 4+
6 ounces of smallish pasta, cooked until barely done (I use tri-color spirals)
8 ounces of frozen spinach (half of a 16-ounce bag)
1 cup of low-fat milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of minced dried onions
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt (optional--the feta has plenty of salt in it)
3/4 cup of feta cheese, divided
12-ounce package of pre-cooked spinach-feta chicken sausage
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a deep-dish pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the spinach for 4-5 minutes until barely cooked. Do not add water or cover the spinach while microwaving it. To the microwaved spinach add the milk, eggs, dried onions (they help soak up the spinach liquid), garlic powder, and pepper. Mix everything well and then gently stir in the pasta and 1/2 cup of the feta cheese. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish and smooth it out evenly. Cut the sausages in half and line the outside edge of the pie dish with the sausages, pressing them down into the pasta mixture so that the sausages are about halfway submerged. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of the feta over the top, center, of the pie. Bake the pie for 30-40 minutes or until set and browned a bit on the top. Let the pie stand for 10 minutes before serving it.
Comentarios