Mina (Passover Spinach and Cheese Pie)

My mother made this for me when I was a kid. I think it's pretty tasty, although I could go for a zestier flavor. The end product is like a cross between a Tortilla Española and spanakopita.

One tip: when I say 'drained' spinach, I mean really drained. Take the spinach in your hands and squeeze it. It's amazing how much water there is in a package of spinach.

An idea that I had as I struggled with the eggs was that perhaps it would be better to dip the upper layer of matzo in eggs first, and then pour the remaining eggs over that, thus creating what is in effect a layer of matzo brei on top. It would definitely make the results more even. Mixing an additional egg or two into the spinach wouldn't be bad.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic
  
• 4 eggs, beaten
  
• 4 matzos
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Bowl of water
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put 1/4 cup oil at the bottom of a baking pan. The pan should be slightly larger than a matzo--say 10x12 or 12x12.
3. Dip two of the matzos in water quickly (or they will become soggy) and then arrange them at the bottom of the pan, breaking them if necessary, so that the bottom is covered.
4. Mix the spinach, feta and garlic in a bowl; arrange on top of matzo.
5. Dip the remaining matzos in water and arrange on top of the spinach. Pour the eggs over this, attempting to apply them evenly.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining oil over the casserole and return to oven for another 30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Greek lemon-chicken soup (κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονο)

This incredibly delicious, beautiful soup requires a bit of practice to make right. The trick is to put in the eggs when the broth is at a high enough temperature to custardize them, but not so high that they would congeal into little bits of egg in the soup. This recipe is not authentic; "real" avgolemono uses boiled chicken instead of sautéed, much less onion, no mushrooms, and is generally much lighter. I like the additional body that the vegetables provide, making this into a dinner éntree proper.

Serve with a salad of bitter greens and vinaigrette.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 cups chicken broth (preferably fresh)
  
• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
• Olive oil for sautéing
  
• 2 eggs
• 2 yellow onions
• 12 oz. sliced mushrooms
• lemon juice (how much? a lot, in my opinion)
• garlic (ditto)
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste
  
• cooked rice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown, but do not cook, the chicken in a bit of olive oil. (i.e., sauté it until the outside turns brown, and then stop.) Set the chicken aside.
2. In your soup pot, begin sautéing the mushrooms over high heat until they soften.
3. Add in the onions and sauté until the onions begin to soften.
4. Add in the garlic and continue to sauté until onion and garlic is golden.
   
5. Add in the chicken and broth; bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is very tender.
7. While you're waiting, beat the eggs thoroughly with the lemon juice.
8. Once the chicken is cooked, turn down the heat to extremely low. You want the soup to be hot enough to custardize an egg, but not hot enough to fully congeal it.
9. Take a small amount of the broth and slowly add it into the egg mixture, beating vigorously with a whisk. (This helps to equalize the temperatures.)
10. Here's the scary part: beating as fast as you can, slowly add the egg mixture to the soup. (It may be easier to remove the chicken first.) The egg will begin to custardize instantly due to the heat of the soup.
    
11. Stir in black pepper and salt to taste. Serve with the rice immediately.
    

PAIRINGS: Enjoy with an deeply chilled shot of ouzo or sambuca and a cup of hot mint tea.