Food & Drink

Gluten-Free Spanakopita Hand Pies

Spanakopita is a savory pie filled with spinach and feta and wrapped in layers of glutenous phyllo dough. Authors Kelli and Peter Bronski have modified the Greek specialty by using an alternative phyllo that this recipe helps form into individual hand pies. They’re sort of like Hot Pockets … if Hot Pockets were Greek and filled with spinach.

Gluten-Free Spanakopita Hand Pies

Yields 8 pies

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons Artisan GF Flour Blend
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons GF baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) seltzer
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 small leek with 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) of green, quartered and sliced thin
8 ounces (227 g) baby spinach
Salt and pepper
1 egg
4 ounces (113 g) feta cheese, crumbled or diced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cumin

For the Topping:

1 egg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the dough, mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Create a well in the center, pour in the seltzer and olive oil, and stir. The dough will be wet. Set aside (the dough will absorb some moisture as it sits).
To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the scallions and leek and sauté until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and has given off its liquid. Season lightly with salt and pepper, place in a colander, and let drain for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the drained spinach with the egg, feta, Parmesan, nutmeg, and cumin.
Roll the dough out between two pieces of plastic wrap to make a rectangle about 10 × 18 inches (25 × 46 cm). Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and cut the dough in half crosswise. Next, cut each rectangle into quarters, creating 8 rectangles each about 5 × 4½ inches (13 × 12 cm).
Place a scant ¼ cup (60 ml) filling on one half of a rectangle, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border on three sides. Use the plastic wrap under the dough (or flour-dusted fingertips) to lift up the half without the filling and fold it over the filling. Pull the plastic wrap off and use a fork to press the edges of the pies together. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 8 pies.
Dust your hands with flour to prevent the pies from sticking to your hands and carefully move the pies off the plastic wrap to the prepared baking sheet.
To top the pies, beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to coat the tops with egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Serve fresh and hot or, once completely cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer and reheat later in a 350°F (175°C) oven or the microwave (times vary based on microwave strength; watch carefully).

Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking
by Kelli and Peter Bronski

An expanded edition of Kelli and Peter Bronski’s popular gluten-free cookbook, Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking features high-quality gluten-free recipes for every meal.

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