Because Pie

So I have this pie dish. I ordered it online after a month-long obsession with owning a pie dish (I blame that on having previously vacationed in the US) and a few futile searches for one in local (in)convenience stores.

You see, Germany has never really gotten the hang of pies. We make cakes and tortes, we build cars and highraise buildings, we don’t bake pies. So yeah, I got it online, eventually. It’s deep dish, light green on the outside, cream colored on the inside, and has this lovely rippled border (yes, I could just take a picture and show it to you, like I did with the hasselback potatoes, but seriously: where’s the fun in that?).

So it’s just delicious in itself. My mouth waters whenever I look at it. Or think of it, for that matter. Right now, for example, I’m practically drooling all over my keyboard, which is mildly upsetting because it’s not even actually mine.

On my last trip to the US I bought another pie dish, a glass one from the big W Mart. I haven’t even used it yet, because the other one’s just so much more… flashy.

Anywho, this pie dish I have, the lovely green frilly one, needs to be used from time to time to justify my going on the internet and using highly dangerous methods of payment (yes, I mean credit card). So I make pies. The other weekend I made a yummy if not completely set strawberry pie. And yesterday I whipped up this baby:

Look, it’s a spinach pie.

I made it because I happened upon low-fat puff pastry at the store, because I had cheese and yogurt and eggs in the fridge, because I had some creamed spinach in the freezer, and because I could. Because I have this pie dish, you know. By the by: You can see some of the cream colored wavy edges that make me salivate so much in the picture. Do you see them? Are you all drooly and googly-eyed yet? I know I am!

Anywho, now you know why I call this the “Because Pie”. I make it because. Because of all the wonderful things I find at the store, because of all the wonderful things I have at home, because Hubby was staying over, and because I can.

I also make this pie because it is just so versatile. I used yogurt, eggs, corn, kidney beans, cheese and creamed spinach as a filling to pour into the puff pastry lining, and mozzarella slices to top everything off. (Also, I would like you to overlook the pasty looking little bow in the middle of the pie in the photo because (there it is again!) it doesn’t look exactly appetizing. I used some leftover puff pastry strips to “decorate” the top of the pie and completely skimped out on the eggwash.) I have also prepared this pie (not in this pie dish, though, but in a springform that has by now paid its debt to nature) with yogurt, eggs, corn, cheese, and tomato slices on top. Also very, very yummy. I can also imagine this pie without any corn or spinach at all and some broccoli instead. Or caramelized onions and leeks. Heck, even strawberries. Although I’d suggest going easy on the cheese when using strawberries. Also, the seasoning should probably differ. But seriously, you could make a sweet version of this pie any day. Or substitute the yogurt with cream cheese, which would basically make a cheesecake… oh, well.

In case you’re interested, here’s a list of ingredients and directions for this particular Because Pie:

Get…

1 package of (low-fat) puff pastry

1 cup of yogurt (I used low-fat as well)

1 cup of shredded cheese (I bought it shredded, because I’m lazy, but I’m sure this could be much more gourmet if you shredded a good cheese yourself)

1 small can of corn, drained (adds a lovely crunch)

1 can of kidney beans, drained and washed (adds protein and color)

3-4 large eggs (they add stability)

1 box of frozen (creamed) spinach (yes, frozen. Because (!) I’m lazy. My suggestion is: thaw/cook it according to instructions on the package before chucking it into the pie filling)

spices (I used cajun seasoning salt, pepper, nutmeg, nutmeg, garlic, and nutmeg)

1 ball of mozzarella, sliced (adds garnish and yum)

… and proceed to…

preheat your oven (or your neighbor’s, if they’re fine with that sort of thing) to the temperature indicated on the puff pastry package. Line the loveliest pie dish you have with the puff pastry. Next, whisk the eggs and mix in all the remaining ingredients, except the mozzarella. Please do not go easy on the nutmeg! Potatoes and spinach need nutmeg. Period. Pour the filling into the prepared puff pastry pie pan, and place the dish in the oven for about an hour. Take it out, place the mozzarella slices on top and put it back in the oven for another half hour.

Note that ovens are nasty little things that sometimes vary the temperature to burn our food. Just make sure to check from time to time if the filling is still jiggly. Once it stops jiggling it should be just about done. To keep it from getting too dark on top you can simply cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.