Cheese, Squash and Spinach Pie

Filled with acorn squash, spinach, ricotta and feta cheese, this savory pie is wrapped in phyllo for a flaky crust you’ll love.

Earlier this week I opened my fridge and saw a random assortment of food about to go bad. Does this happen to you? Come on, level with me. You had plans to make that gourmet meal, but then life happened, and the next thing you know it was takeout three nights in a row, and now there’s sad cauliflower looking back at you whenever you go to get the milk.

Well, that happened to me, but then I put my head together on what I could make, and, BOOM! This roasted squash, spinach and cheese pie happened! Wanna see?

I make a spinach and feta pie as a part of our regular meal rotation ever since I found a recipe from Jamie Oliver that makes it possible to assemble the pie in under 30 minutes (check out his helpful instructional video here). My filling is completely different, with roasted acorn squash, a touch of spinach, feta and creamy ricotta cheese to make a rich, filling one-dish meal.

Because you have to roast the acorn squash for at least 20-30 minutes, this isn’t a 30 minute meal. To cut down on weekday prep, you could roast the acorn squash on the weekend. After it cools, refrigerate it stored in a gallon Ziploc bag until you’re ready to assemble the pie. The same is true for the spinach, although sauteeing a bag of spinach takes less than five minutes. But I get it. Sometimes even five extra minutes during the week is a luxury.

As for the crust, this pie recipe just requires prepackaged phyllo pastry (or “filo,” as its spelled in the UK). I used to be intimidated by working with phyllo, but it’s really not hard when you’re using it to make this roasted squash, spinach and cheese pie. Just in case, I’ve got a few tips for you.

First, phyllo comes rolled up in a stack of translucent rectangular sheets. To make sure you can work with it properly, defrost the phyllo overnight in the refrigerator. If you’re short on time or just plain forget (like I often do), you can take the phyllo out from the freezer and let it sit on your kitchen counter for around an hour. If the phyllo is too cold, you won’t be able to unroll it without the delicate sheets cracking. If you let it sit out on the counter and get too warm, the butter in the pastry might melt out of it, leaving a hot, oily mess.

The other key to making the phyllo come out with that flaky, fall apart crust is to generously brush olive oil between the layers. The olive oil crisps up the phyllo as it’s baking, keeping your pie from becoming a soggy pile of mush. No one wants soggy mush.

As for the filling, I used acorn squash in this recipe because it’s what I had on hand, but I’d use it in this recipe again as opposed to butternut squash, which might seem like the logical choice for a pie like this. Butternut squash is too sweet for a savory pie dish — I think your taste buds will end up wondering whether you’re eating dinner or dessert, or some weird combination of both. This pie should definitely fall into the savory category. Save your sweet tooth for something legit, like chocolate cake.

Great. Now I’m craving chocolate cake.

Cheese, Squash and Spinach Pie

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• Total Time: 90 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Diet: Omnivore, Vegetarian

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Description

Savory autumn flavors in a flaky phyllo crust. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 medium acorn squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for brushing on the phyllo)
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 cups (237 ml) ricotta cheese
• 0.5 cups (118 ml) feta cheese (crumbled)
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 package frozen phyllo pastry
• 0.5 tsp salt (plus more for seasoning on the phyllo)
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (plus more for seasoning on the phyllo)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Wash the acorn squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and cut each half in half again to create 4 wedges.
3. Rub olive oil on the flesh of the squash, place in a baking dish, and roast for 25-40 minutes, or until a butter knife easily pierces the squash.
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Preheat a baking sheet in the oven.
6. While the squash cools, drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add spinach gradually, stirring until wilted and dark green.
8. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, pressing out excess moisture.
9. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
10. Once cool, scoop out or peel the squash flesh.
11. Mash the squash until smooth.
12. Add ricotta, eggs, feta, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; stir to combine.
13. Set aside.
14. Rip a sheet of oven-safe parchment paper into a rectangle larger than a pie dish.
15. Crumple and smooth the parchment, then rub with olive oil.
16. Lay out four phyllo sheets overlapping in the center, reaching the corners of the parchment.
17. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
18. Repeat with the next four sheets, and then the remaining sheets, creating layers as needed.
19. Carefully transfer the phyllo to a pie dish and press down to fill.
20. Pour the filling over the phyllo.
21. Fold the corners of the phyllo over the filling to cover.
22. Brush the top with more olive oil.
23. Place the pie dish on the preheated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and the bottom is cooked.
24. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• For a richer flavor, use a combination of sheep and goat feta cheese.
• To prevent soggy phyllo, ensure the spinach is thoroughly drained before adding it to the filling.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 400
• Fat: 25
• Saturated Fat: 10
• Unsaturated Fat: 12
• Carbohydrates: 40
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 15
• Cholesterol: 100

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