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I’ve been planning to make this recipe for Pi Day for quite some time now. What is Pi Day? Well, it is a nerd holiday. Pi is the word to describe the number that is the ratio of the circumference of a perfect circle to its diameter. It’s always 3.14159…blah blah blah forever and ever. In my nerdy high school classes we’d actually have geekfests where we’d celebrate the day (always on March 14th, duh) with pie eating contests, pie recitation contests, etc. Yeah, pretty awesome I know. Here are a few cool facts I found out about Pi, because I’m sure you can’t get to sleep tonight without a few more tidbits about this famous number.

    1. In 1897, Indiana tried to pass a bill stating that pi is equal to 3.2, but it never became a law due to an intervention by a Purdue University professor. Way to fight for what’s right, man. They should make a movie for that. Just think of all the special effects there’d be!
    2. Pi day is celebrated as 7-22 in other countries because of the 22/7 approximation. Blasphemy, I say!
    3. Ultimate factoid: Pi Day is also Albert Einstein’s birthday! *head explodes with amazement*

And what really matters to you, is getting through that useless crap above to get to the deliciousness that awaits you below! Without further ado, I present to you my Greek Spinach Pie Recipe, adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe!

GREEK SPINACH PIE
Yield: 3 small pies, can be frozen

INGREDIENTS
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt (use less if you add more cheese)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
6 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used closer to 1 C)
2 teaspoons plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 pound good feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 pound salted butter, melted
6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted (I ended up using 18 total!!)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted if preferred 

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium sauté pan on medium heat, sauté the onions with the olive oil until translucent and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.

Squeeze out and discard as much of the liquid from the spinach as possible. Put the spinach into a bowl and then gently mix in the onions, eggs, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, pine nuts and feta.

Butter an ovenproof, nonstick, 8-inch sauté pan, or just use a glass pan and line it with 6 stacked sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with melted butter and letting the edges hang over the pan. Pour the spinach mixture into the middle of the phyllo and neatly fold the edges up and over the top to seal in the filling. Brush the top with melted butter.

Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

Eat and/or die of happiness.

 

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