Food Lab with CTA Stephen Garfield

Spanakopita & Authenticity

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is span-1024x768.jpg
Photo by: Stephen Garfield, from Heirloom Kitchen pp. 66-67

     As Gass says in her introduction to Kanella “Nelly” Cheliotis, “[she] graciously and enthusiastically taught me how to make several Greek staples, including two kinds of spanakopita…the spanakopita we are familiar with in the United States and real Greek spanakopita.” (65-66)

     Then, in the intro blurb to the recipe, Gass writes: “Through adaptation and migration, the recipe has been altered from its traditional preparation.” (66)

     As an introductory “lab,” I think this recipe would work well. It is probably the most difficult out of the recipes I’ve selected, but it serves to introduce many of the ideas we’ll be working with, as far as reflection and transformation of tradition, and what authenticity means. This recipe is from a Greek immigrant grandmother, yet does not use traditional ingredients–does WHO is making it grant authenticity? Or is WHAT it’s made of do so? Both? Neither?

     I will also, when I can, try to either make a vegan alternative, or give guidance as to how it could be made. Egg & cheese substitutes, oil instead of butter, etc.

Reading: Gass, Pp. 64-69

Ingredients:

For the filling:
4 tbsp butter
5 scallions, chopped
4 lbs frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 bunch dill, chopped (about 1 cup/50 g)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
5 large eggs, beaten
1 lb cottage cheese
1 1/2 lbs feta cheese, broken up into small pieces
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the dough:
1 to 1 1/4 cups clarified butter
1 package phyllo dough, #4 (Nelly likes Apollo)

Notes:
For this first week, I’m sort of going big. I’ve never made spanakopita–though I’ve enjoyed it on many occasions, and have always wanted to.
There are a lot of things we’re all learning on the fly as we start this quarter, and I thought this recipe could sort of represent that. The recipes in the coming weeks will be easier to make, with more ingredients that can not only go into the dishes, but also stock your kitchen with items that can be used for many different applications. This first week, we’re feeling it all out. The format of my videos, the assignments, what our routines will look like; all of these balls are up in the air, and it’s okay (and maybe good for us) that things aren’t set in stone.
All this is to say that, although I definitely encourage you to try if you can, I don’t expect everyone to be making spanakopita at home this Friday.
Week 1 is for introductions. So: Hi, I’m Stephen. I’ll be making spanakopita, and also some other things later. I’ve been a professional cook for fourteen years, and I love Hot Pockets.

Let’s do this.