The difference between May and late June greens in the store is astounding. And when my husband came home with a huge (and inexpensive) bunch of rainbow kale that filled his arms like wild flowers – I immediately decided to make spanakopita with it.
This recipe deviates from the traditional spanakopita because it uses kale and it also has the addition of Parmesan and bell peppers.
But, to me having two delicious salty cheeses combined with the spicy greens, sweet peppers and onions in crispy phyllo is a little slice of heaven. We had company over for dinner, and there was just one piece left over.
And the two of us split that piece for breakfast the next day.
Rainbow Kale Spanakopita
- 1 large bunch of rainbow kale, Swiss chard, or spinach
- Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 cup of diced red and orange peppers
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill
- ½ cup of crumbled feta
- ½ cup of shredded Parmesan
- 12 sheets of phyllo
- 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Defrost phyllo according to package directions and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice off the rough stems of the kale and wash it thoroughly. Roughly chop the leaves and place them in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the chili flakes, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium and continually keep the kale moving with tongs until it has completely shrunk down. It should take about 2 minutes.
Remove the cooked kale and add the peppers and onion to the pan with an additional tablespoon of olive oil and more salt and pepper. Sauté the peppers and onions until softened. In a large bowl combine the vegetables and cheeses. Combine the melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Unroll the phyllo and dampen some paper towels with a little bit of water. Brush 6 pieces of phyllo with butter and put them in a 9×13 pan. Make sure to cover the unused phyllo with the damp cloth while it’s not in use. (Phyllo dries out and cracks very easily.) Spoon the spanakopita filling over the phyllo. Brush the remaining 6 pieces with the butter/olive oil combination and place the pan in the oven. Cook until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
Serves 4.
(Photos by Launie K.)
