When I was a teenager hanging out at the mall, I discovered a dish from a vendor called Greek Island Delights in the food court called (you guessed it!) spanakopita. If you’ve had it, you know it’s essentially a feta and spinach quiche wrapped in flaky, buttery layers of phyllo dough.
I was determined to replicate spanakopita at home, so at the tender age of 14, I found a recipe and made it myself. I used frozen spinach and store-bought phyllo (do people actually make their own phyllo?) and it was fantastic. In fact, the dish was so good, my family requested I make it at our huge, Thanksgiving parties and, along with Ghormeh Sabzi and pumpkin pie, it became part of our regular menu.
While I realize spanakopita sans phyllo isn’t quite the same thing, I really wanted to enjoy the flavor of it again, so I created a keto version in quiche form using an almond crust. I think it’s fabulous, but I do hope all of you low-carb-directed folks love it, too!
Keto Spanakopita Quiche
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
Filling:
8oz. feta cheese
5 large eggs
1/2 C heavy whipping
1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried dill
1/2 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Crust:
1 C. superfine almond flour
1/4 C butter, melted
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°
For the crust, mix the butter and almond flour together and press into a quiche plate, pie pan, or even a square Pyrex dish. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes and set aside to cool.
Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds or so. Add the fresh, washed and dried baby spinach, dill, parsley, and mint and turn off the stove. Let the spinach wilt in the residual heat, stirring occasionally and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and whipping cream together. Add the cooled spinach mixture and crumble in 3/4 of the feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the egg/feta/spinach mixture into the cooled almond crust and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Crumble the remaining feta on top and bake for 10 more minutes. Let the quiche cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. It’s great for breakfast, too!
