Even if you think you have already tasted the best fritatta in the world, you should try this one before you pass judgment. To my mind, it surpassed all the other spinach pies I’ve ever had in taste and in texture.
Of course the word “fritada” comes from “frittata,” which is borrowed from the Italian, and in that sense it’s a total misnomer because this is a pie that is baked and not fried. Combinations of eggs and vegetables are very common in historic Sephardic cuisine, especially for shabbat.
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh spinach, well washed and spun dry
2 medium-sized potatoes, cooked whole
3 cups grated hard cheese, cheddar, or a combination
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup oil (or 1 Turkish coffee cup)
salt, black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 175degrees C. Lay the washed and dried spinach out on a board and begin to knead it as if it were bread. With each rendering, the spinach will decompose a little. Take it in your hands after kneading and “wring” out the water. Do this until all the spinach has been massaged and has “broken down.” This will take a good 10 minutes.
2. When the spinach resembles what looks like the contents of a package of chopped frozen spinach, place it in a bowl and add the grated potatoes.
3. Beat the eggs until nicely mixed and add to the spinach. Finally put in 2/3 of the grated cheese and mix well. Add the flour, oil, and salt and pepper and mix all together.
4. Oil the bottom of a large pyrex baking pan and place the entire spinach mixture in the pan using a spoon to spread it evenly. The remaining cheese should go on top.
5. Bake for 45 minutes so that it gets very crunchy. This is the secret of this delectability of this dish, so don’t be afraid to let it get dark. It makes great leftovers with this extra baking time. Allow to cool and cut into large squares. Usually served slightly warm or at room temperature. Great for picnics.
Thank you to Reca Deşilton for the recipe and for the enchanting conversations in Ladino while we made this together. This and many other charming recipes and anecdotes appear in her new book, Reca’nın Mutfağı (Okuyan Press, 2015)