Manasta Patan alla Nonna Galasso – Grandma Galasso’s Spinach and Potato Pie
Side dishes can be considered casseroles too. Case in point, manasta patan, dialect for spinach and potatoes, was a constantly prepared by my maternal grandmother. It was served alone as a main course, but as the recipe was passed from generation to generation, it became a side dish to be served with fish, chicken, or meats. Even now, years later, I am still tweaking this recipe, adding plain Greek yogurt to give it added richness and taste.
Ingredients
- 1lb spinach, stemmed and washed
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 large all purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- salt to taste
- grinding black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, or Italian Fontina cut into small bits
Directions
- Steam the spinach in a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat until it has wilted; this will take just a minute or two at most. Drain and squeeze the spinach dry. Chop tit and transfer it to a medium size bowl. Stir in the nutmeg.
- Place the potatoes in a 1 quart saucepan, cover them with water; add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring the potatoes to a boil; cook them until they are tender. Drain in a colander.
- Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash them with a potato masher; do not use a food processor or blender as this will make the potatoes break down and become very pasty and glue-like. Add the butter, and salt and pepper to taste and transfer the mixture to the bowl with the spinach; stir in the yogurt and cheese.
- Spread the mixture into an oiled pie plate and bake for 35 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.
This recipe was featured on Season 19 - Episode 1910.
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