It being so cold out, Ashley and I have been going heavy on the hearty: hearty soups, hearty sandwiches, hearty pasta. So when it became my turn to concoct our next pie creation, I decided to keep with the theme, and whip up a pie that would stick to our ribs. To give myself a challenge however, I was determined to whip up a pie that was warming, gooey, and satiating on the inside, but wasn't covered in grease, and still maintained the crunchy integrity of the crust. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Spinach Béchamel Pie with Artichokes.

The béchamel sauce mixed with garlic sautéed spinach, and a generous handful of grated pecorino, makes a great base for the artichoke hearts (crisped up nicely in a skillet), mushrooms, and of course some nice chunks of mozzarella. It's gooey, it's warming, it tastes like salt and cheese and cream, yet the spinach and the artichokes keep everything balanced and interesting, and help you to get through more then just a few bites before the cheese makes you cry "uncle!" Damn good winter eatin' for sure.

Spinach Bechamel Pie

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flour
3/4 c grated pecorino
1 c milk
2 cloves garlic
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
4 oz fresh mozzarella
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 c chopped shitake mushrooms
1 dough
salt and pepper to taste

For the Béchamel, dice garlic, sauté in pan with 1 tbsp olive oil until fragrant. Add the spinach, and sauté until it wilts and turns bright green (about 5 min). Remove from heat, set aside. In a fresh skillet over medium-low, add 1 tbsp olive oil. When hot, whisk in the flour little by little until it thickens. Remove from heat, whisk in the milk little by little, until smooth.  Return to heat, whisk as it cooks (it will get thicker and thicker). Add pecorino after about 3 min, whisking until incorporated, and smooth. Remove from heat, stir in spinach.

For pizza, preheat oven to 500 (or higher if you can), roll out dough. Top with thinnish layer of béchamel, sautéed Artichoke hearts, sautéed mushrooms, and mozzarella, bake until golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste.

Damn!

    With an abundance of dill and basil on hand, I blended up a quick pesto, which led me to thinking what am I going to do with this mostly dill pesto?  Eggs could be nice....Eggs on a pizza with dill could be real nice....Leftover salted pork....done and done!

    This pie is wonderful and probably one of the best pies you will ever have.  I am usually a modest person for those of you who may be reading this blog and not know me very well.  It's just that good simply because A) it tastes AMAZING and B) because you can eat it anytime you want without feeling like you're an animal eating pizza at 9:00 in the morning.

  

 

Load it up.

 Crack dem eggs.

Missing egg, but still a winner.

  

Champion slice!

Dill Cream

(Sorry didn't measure this one.)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. sour cream

1/2 c.-3/4c. loose dill

1/4 c.-1/2c. basil

2 garlic cloves

juice of 1 lime or lemon (I used lime)

salt and pepper

Pie

1 dough

2 eggs

1/2 c. salted pork chopped into 1/2" cubes

mozzarella &parmesan

handful of fresh spinach

    Blend all of the ingrediants except for the sour cream in a food processor about a minute.  Then fold in the sour cream into the mixture, either by hand or pulse a few times in the food processor.  Set aside.  Next prepare the salted pork by cutting it into 1/2" cubes and tossing it in a pan until the cubes shrink about 50%.   Once those two step are finished, it's time to roll out the dough.  I would suggest pre-cooking the crust with a splash of olive oil for about 2- 3 minutes and then adding the toppings.  Smear the pesto, then add cheese eggs and pork.  Bake for another 6 to 7 minutes, or until the egg white is pale white.  If you add the eggs too early in the game you will not achieve a runny egg and char on your crust, and frankly you want both.  We forgot this step, but luckily the pie still tasted killer.  Once it's cooked take a spoon smear the egg yolk over the entire crust.  Eat!!!!!