Savory Spinach Crostata With Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Recipe

The final Foodie Friday Lenten recipe.

Crostatas are normally a sweet fruit pastry, but why not apply the same idea to dinner?

Savory Spinach Crostata (prep. time about a half hour)

½ red onion thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic diced

8 oz. package sliced baby bella mushrooms

10 oz. package fresh spinach leaves (remove any long stems)

1 stick unsalted butter

2 Tbl. Olive oil

¼ C. vegetable stock

½ tsp. each oregano, basil, rubbed sage

¼ tsp. each rosemary and parsley

½ C. feta cheese crumbles

¼ C. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbl. Lemon zest

1/C. unflavored yogurt

Juice of a half lemon

½ peeled cucumber, grated

Sat & pepper

8 sheets of phylo dough

Prepare the lemon yogurt sauce first so the flavors have time to marry. Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice and grated cucumber. Refrigerate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the stick of butter in a sauce pan.  Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan and add sliced onions.  Cook the onions until tender and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic and the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, add the vegetable stock and toss the spinach in the pan. The greens will wilt quickly. Stir in oregano, basil, sage, salt and pepper and remove from heat. As the filling is cooling slightly, Pre-heat oven to 365. Gently lay a sheet of phylo on the baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Layer four sheets, one at a time, each time brushing with butter until the 4^th sheet. Carefully spread the softened cream cheese in the center of the pastry and sprinkle the rosemary and parsley over the cream cheese. Resume layering the phylo sheets, buttering each sheet. Now that the spinach/ mushroom mixture has cooled a bit, toss in feta cheese and pour filling into the center of the pastry. Carefully fold the four sides in. Brush the edges with melted butter or egg wash for a more brown crust. Sprinkle the center filling with the lemon zest. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool slightly before cutting with a pizza wheel and drizzling the cucumber yogurt sauce over each serving.

Got questions about the recipe or equipment? Email me @ Kathy@wnbf.com