Spinach Flatbread

When we finished making our papas rellenas, we found we had a half cup or so of stuffing left. The next day, we decided to turn it into a quick appetizer using some pizza dough we had in the refrigerator. If you've never done it before, it may seem strange to cook dough in a bath of water and oil, but it produces a crispy crust that's hard to beat.

We did have one problem making this: The spinach filling was wet and it made the middle of our dough soggy after cooking. We solved the problem by sliding the flatbread into a non-stick pan and turning up the heat for a few minutes. That made it almost cracker-crisp. We don't really care how we get there, so long as the results are good.

Spinach Flatbread

½ cup spinach stuffing, walnuts reserved (see this recipe)
¼ cup mozzarella or other melting cheese
1 small ball of pizza dough
Olive oil

1. Heat oven to 450.
2. Flatten dough into a small square, either with your fingers or a rolling pin.
3. Transfer to a lightly greased sheet pan.
4. Top with shredded cheese.
1. Mix 1/3 cup oil with1/2 cup water. Then pour into sheet pan around the dough.
2. Place dough in oven and bake for about 12 minutes, until sides are crispy. During the last minute of cooking, add reserved walnuts.
3. Remove to a hot, nonstick frying pan and continue to toast until bottom is crisp (optional).
4. Serve garnished with sea salt.

Papas Rellenas with Spinach and Dill Onion Gravy

The Polish side of our family gets together periodically and puts away several tons of borscht and spiral cut ham and store bought pierogis. At one point, we offered to make homemade pierogis, but ran out of time. Big mistake. We were left with a big bag of potato-cheese stuffing, which we stuffed in the freezer for a better day.

We got sick of looking at the bag just as we were wondering what to do with our big pile of spinach. The result is a play on "papas rellenas," or stuffed potatoes, a South American staple. This recipe is a bit involved, and it takes a little practice. But once you get the hang of it, stuffed mashed potatoes a great platform for getting rid of all kinds of things: leftover chili, pot roast—you name it.

Oh, yes, health foodies: this recipe does not involve enriching your potatoes with lots of butter and cream before frying them. We're not animals, after all.

Papas Rellenas with Spinach and Dill Onion Gravy

The Stuffing

About 2 cups spinach, chopped and divided between stems and leaves
2 tsp chopped garlic
2-3 tbsp chopped walnuts
Salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Olive oil

1. Add oil to a hot frying pan.
2. Add garlic and spinach stems and stir fry for about a minute until stems are tender.
3. Add the leaves and stir until they are partially broken down.
4. Add walnuts (or toast them beforehand)
5. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste.
6. Finish cooking.
7. Remove from pan to a cutting board.
8. Chop spinach with walnuts together.
9. Add salt to taste.

Papas Rellenas

The stuffing
1 lb potatoes
2 scallions chopped
½ cup cheese (parmesan or cheddar)
Flour
Rice flour (optional)
Salt

If these instructions are difficult to understand, there are plenty of videos on YouTube.

1. Boil potatoes in salted water and remove.
2. Pass through a ricer or food mill.
3. Salt to taste.
4. Allow to cool or spread out on a board to cool.
5. Add cheese and scallions, and pepper if desired.
6. Add about 2 tbsp flour and begin to knead for 1 minute. The "dough" should be slightly sticky and hold together.
7. Spread rice flour out on a board.
8. Using clean, wet hands, flatten out a small disk or potato in your hand. Fill with stuffing, then close the ends over and roll into a small football shape. Roll in the rice flour when done.
9. Repeat for rest of potatoes.
10. Heat oil in a pan and fry on one side. When browned, tip over to the next. If you're gentle (you can use your fingers), the results should be neat and square when finished.
11. When browned on all sides, remove and serve with gravy.

Dill Onion Gravy

1 large onion
2 tbsp chopped dill
Butter
Oil
Flour
Milk

1. In a 3 quart saucepan, begin frying the onions in butter and oil
2. As a fond develops on the bottom of the pan, add water and clean.
3. Continue until onions are slightly browned.
4. Add 1 more tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp flour.
5. Add one cup milk and bring to a simmer, stirring vigorously
6. Add more milk to reach desired thickness. Add salt and pepper as desired.
7. Stir in dill and remove from heat.

Spinach and Pine Nut Crackers

You can find a big bag pine nuts at Trader Joes for $7, but at the local supermarket, a miniature jar of "Pignoli Nuts" goes for the same amount. The reason is that—unlike Americans—not all pine nuts are created equal. The ones in TJ's are likely from China, raised under a thick cloud of industrial smog; while the others are an organic varietal from Italy prized for their nuttiness.

Let's hear it for China. We usually keep a bag of them in the back of our fridge, along with bags of walnuts and almonds. They keep forever so long as they're tightly sealed.

This was an easy appetizer that also got rid of some crackers we had lying around.

Spinach and Pine Nut Crackers

10 flavored crackers
About 2 cups spinach, chopped and divided between stems and leaves
2 tsp chopped garlic
2-3 tbsp pine nuts (3 tbsp if you're going to snack on them while cooking, 2 if you're not)
Sea salt
Balsamic vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
Olive oil (the stuff you hide when people you don't like come over)
Cream cheese

1. Toast pine nuts in a dry pan until lightly browned and remove.
2. Add oil to a hot frying pan.
3. Add garlic and spinach stems and stir fry for about a minute until stems are tender.
4. Add the leaves and stir until they are partially broken down.
5. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar to taste.
6. Finish cooking.
7. Remove from pan to a cutting board.
8. Chop spinach with pine nuts together.
9. Add sea salt to taste.
10. Spread crackers with cream cheese and top with spinach mixture.

Coming attraction: New Spinach

The first signs of local produce have arrived: a nearby farmer managed to pull together a crop of new spinach and we supported the cause by buying a bag. It was much more delicately flavored that the usual green stuff in the supermarket. So we'll try to make things that are really spinach-forward. If you're redoing them with regular spinach, you may want to reduce it in proportion to other ingredients.