Years ago I worked in a restaurant that used spinach in a number of dishes, and I can still vividly recall the culinary legerdemain employed to extract the excess water. It would be blanched and shocked in ice water and pressed dry before going in the lasagna or on a sandwich. If you've ever sautéed it in your house you know exactly why this was necessary - as it cooks spinach releases a lot of water.
The Spanakopita Secret
Spanakopita is a justifiably famous Greek dish. Flaky layers of phyllo dough surround a savory filling made of spinach, feta, herbs, and olive oil. It's green enough that eating it feels vaguely virtuous, but it's as delicious as a good slice of pizza. Last spring Alanna was trying to figure out how to make spanakopita, particularly the filling. After all, when properly made it is not dry but it certainly isn't swimming in water. With so much spinach in the mix, how is this possible?
She found the answer in a recipe on the fantastic website Serious Eats, which answered the question. Trahanas, a lightly fermented dried grain product, is added to the filling, where it both absorbs the liquid released by the cooking spinach and herbs and makes the texture more stable. If you, like most people, don't happen to have trahanas in your pantry, the good news is that couscous works every bit as well.
Loaf time
Meanwhile, I had been thinking about my entry for the second annual Cooperstown Loaf-Off and Meat Raffle, a charity event organized by my friend Alex to support our local food pantry. Prompted by nothing in particular I realized that a combination of spanakopita and meatloaf might work. I tried it out and immediately knew I was onto something.
This recipe has all the appeal of a regular spanakopita, but it's substantial enough to be a meal on its own. The phyllo topping provides a flaky contrast, and the couscous yields a better texture than a loaf made with flour or bread crumbs.
To be completely honest, I'm not crazy about regular meatloaf, but this is something else entirely, good enough to earn a place in the regular dinner rotation. And while it does involve a bit of prep ahead of time, once made it can sit in the fridge prior to cooking, and the leftovers are fantastic.
