Spanakopita Casserole

October is the month where teaching becomes fully real, where the beginning-of-year goodwill has converted into actual work and the students who need more are starting to show who they are and what they need. I have three students in active IEP processes, which means paperwork and parent meetings and coordination with the resource teacher and the school psychologist, all happening alongside lesson planning and grading and twenty-two kids showing up every morning expecting me to know what to do with them, which I do, which is why I am here.

I called Patty on Thursday on my lunch break because I needed ten minutes of someone not needing anything from me, and she understood this immediately without my saying it, and we talked about the applesauce and whether I had tried the cinnamon rolls recipe she sent me in August and whether Ryan was sleeping enough. She does not always have the right answers but she always has the right tone, which is: I see you, you're doing fine, keep going.

The twins are eight months old. Owen has mastered the sit from lying position and does it now with the efficiency of someone who has determined this is the most practical way to survey a room. Nora is standing with one hand support and will be walking by Christmas, which Patty has declared and which I believe. Babcia Rose came for a visit on the weekend and sat with them for two hours and told them things in Polish I could not hear, which is between them.

Pumpkin soup this week: Aldi canned pumpkin, chicken broth, coconut milk, a little cumin and smoked paprika, salt. Blended smooth. Served with crusty bread from the Jewel bakery. Fifteen minutes active time. Cost three dollars per serving. Autumn in a bowl. Ryan had two servings and said it tasted like something you'd pay fifteen dollars for in a restaurant, which he meant as a compliment and which I am taking as a compliment.

The pumpkin soup got the glory this week, but what actually carried us through Tuesday and Wednesday was this spanakopita casserole I’d assembled on Sunday while the twins were down for their afternoon nap — portioned into the fridge, ready to pull from, no standing at the stove at six o’clock. October is not a month for heroic cooking. It’s a month for making something good once and letting it do its work quietly, which is exactly what this does.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

20 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
12 oz feta cheese, crumbled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried dill)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Cook the aromatics. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Build the filling. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed-dry spinach, crumbled feta, beaten eggs, cooked onion and garlic, dill, black pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until evenly mixed.
Layer the bottom phyllo. Lay one sheet of phyllo in the prepared baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 5 more sheets, brushing each with butter, for a 6-sheet base. Keep unused phyllo covered with a damp towel as you work.
Add the filling. Spread the spinach and feta mixture evenly over the phyllo base, smoothing it to the edges.
Top with phyllo. Layer the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo over the filling, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Tuck any overhanging edges down around the sides. Brush the top generously with remaining butter.
Score and bake. Using a sharp knife, score the top layers of phyllo into 8 portions (do not cut all the way through). Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the filling is set.
Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting through along the scored lines. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerates well for up to 4 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spanakopita Casserole — The Batch-Cook That Carries You Through October