Mary Fitzgerald's Spinach Pie from Ireland

Washington Post  March 12, 2014

Here's a quick and easy way to present the good-for-you-greens as a side dish or light lunch. The recipe dates back three generations in the family of Mary Fitzgerald, a gardener who lives in Wexford, Ireland.

You'll need six 4 1/2-inch tartlet pans, preferably with removable bottoms. This can also be made in a deep 9-inch tart pan; adjust the baking time as needed.

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Servings:

Tested size: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 20 ounces fresh baby spinach, rinsed
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 10 ounces low-fat cottage cheese, preferably small-curd
• 10 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Edible flowers, for garnish (optional)

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Directions

Heat a wide saucepan of water over medium-high heat; seat a steamer basket above the water level. Place half of the spinach in the steamer. Cover and steam until just wilted, then drain and coarsely chop. Press with paper towels to remove as much moisture from the spinach as possible, then transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining spinach.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking oil spray to grease the tartlet pans, then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.

Add the onion to the spinach, along with the eggs, cottage cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pepper and nutmeg; stir to blend well. Divide evenly among the tartlet pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until barely browned on the edges and set at the center.

Wait 5 minutes before dislodging from the tartlet pans. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with the edible flowers, if using.

Adapted from "Irish Country Cooking: More Than 100 Recipes for Today's Table," from the Irish Countrywomen's Association (Sterling, 2014).