This is another one of those me, me, me pages—basically for my own benefit but possibly helpful to others. This recipe is based upon one from one of my favorite cookbooks, Joetta Handrich Schlabach's Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook, despite the rather horrific sidebars^[1] because it has “ethnic”^[2] recipes that have been reworked for the sort-of-average-mainstream American cook without taking away all the flavor.

Spinach Pies is probably my fave, but they take forever to make. This is my attempt to make the process a little more efficient.

Dough:

• 2 C white flour
• 2-1/2 C "white" whole wheat flour (divided)
• 6 T olive oil
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t sugar
• 2 t bulk granular yeast
• 1? C warm water

Put 1 C flour, yeast, sugar and water in bowl.^[3] Allow to form a sponge (which takes 2–4 hours, so plan ahead). Add rest of ingredients and knead. This dough is heavy, and doesn't ‘spring’ like some others. Even when kneaded it's still rather lumpy and unresponsive. While it's rising a second time, mince finely the greens, sharpening your knife if necessary^[4]

Filling:

Hydrate TVP^[5]

• (roughly) 1 C water
• 1 C flaked TVP

Mince greens:

• very large (8x15"?) bunch of Queen Anne's lace, washed & roots removed
• 2–3" bundle chives (original calls for 1-1/4C onion)
• 3" bundle coriander
• new young spinach, perhaps 3 C? (original calls 6 C chopped spinach)

Notes: "dry" greens, such as the wild carrot or parsley, work well. Really any kind of green leafy veg would work—kale, collard greens, beet greens, mustard, etc. I've found you have on hand & is cheap will work fine, (since the flavor basically comes from the cumin) though I like to mix the "bitter" ones half and half with something mild, e.g. spinach. Also, thoroughly removing an excess water by vigorous shaking or using salad spinner will making assembly easier; also pies will be less likely to leak. So whack that rinsewater off!

Grind in coffee/spice grinder:

• 1-1/2 t whole cumin
• 1/2 t black whole peppercorns

Combine greens and spices, above, with the following:

• 1 T ground sumac (available in 1# bags. No really.)
• 2–3T olive oil

You'll probably end up with roughly 7–10 C filling.

Stick finger into dough: indent should remain. Roll dough into snakes roughly 2" (50 mm) in diameter. Slice 5/8" (15mm?) thick. This gives you disks, ready to roll out— much faster than pinching off dough, rolling it into a ball, and flattening the ball. 4-1/2 C flour should give you 40–45 disks. Place 5–10 disks on a clean, dry counter. Roll to roughly 1/8" thick (maybe 4" in diameter?) Stack and place in plastic bag. Do 10 minutes’ worth. Flip pile over, starting with oldest (first rolled). Pull out 5, place on counter, roll very thin (less 1/16"). By rolling in 2 stages, the dough has a chance to rest, and you're not fighting it so much.

Depending on size of disk, place 3–4T filling in center. Fold two flaps over each other, shoving filling into the triangular pocket. Fold third flap. Repeat till all 5 are done, place on pan, cover with plastic. Dough sticks to itself much better if filling is not too wet. 20–25 (half batch) will fit on a standard size aluminum cookie sheet. (Grease it first). This batch made 45. Spray with pam if desired. Bake @ 350 deg F/180 deg C till golden brown, switching oven to preheat to brown tops if necessary.

By rolling and filling 5–10 at a time, manufacture goes much faster.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.

Sylvus Tarn