This week I made spanakopita for the first time. It is a savory spinach pie consisting of spinach, feta cheese, egg, and fresh herbs, surrounded by flaky layers of phyllo dough. I love it.
Given the choice, I will always choose a spanakopita appetizer or entree at a restaurant or party.
Anyway, I never made it before. It was too hard to make at home; at least thatās what Iād heard. I envisioned a scene wiping away the sweat at my temples with the back of my hand, flyaway strands of hair escaping my ponytail. My apron would be covered with flour. Whatever I pulled out of the oven would be a scorched, sunken mess. Iād raise my tear-stained face to the heavens, wondering why Iād been so foolish to attempt it in the first place.
Maybe it had to do with the paper-thin layers of phyllo pastry that turned me off. I had heard tales that each sheet had to be separated, laid flat, and brushed with olive oil or butter. It sounded time-consuming, and I was worried I would make a mess of it. What if the phyllo layers broke apart in my clumsy hands? It was just easier to get some at a restaurant from time to time: let the pros deal with making it. I would deal with eating it.
The heart may want what it wants, but so does the stomach. Suddenly, the urge came over me: I needed some spanakopita. Maybe I was feeling a little courageous. Perhaps a tad reckless. Instead of buying it ready-made, I purchased my ingredients. Challenge accepted.
The dough sat on my kitchen counter for a bit, coming to room temperature. I used that time to get revved up (Picture me hopping from foot to foot with a determined look while āEye of the Tigerā played in the background).
Who is it that warned me of this dishās complexity? The thing is, I canāt even remember who the āsomeoneā was. If I couldnāt remember their name, why did I remember them telling me it was hard? What did they know? Were they someone I trusted? Was this person possibly trying to keep me from discovering something wonderful?
How many times have I not tried something because someone said it was hard? I hate to imagine all the experiences Iāve missed, taking someone at their word: donāt try it ā youāll be sure to fail. (I admit, that voice is sometimes my own.)
Itās easy to forget that trying something new can be exhilarating. Taking the easy way out isnāt as satisfying as digging in and accomplishing something thatās a challenge. Pulling back the curtain on a mystifying puzzle makes you feel almost superhuman. Learning a foreign language is hard; being a stay-at-home mom is tough; so is moving across the country with no job and no prospects. These are all things I was told, but Iāve done all those things. Iām better for it. Iām stronger than I think. So are you.
Maybe it was a conspiracy. Because friends, making spanakopita is not hard. Making it takes time, but the process is a ritualistic exercise that includes textures, colors, and aromas that are a marvel to behold. From dicing the onions and garlic, chopping the bright green spinach, to holding an entire brick of feta cheese in my hands and crumbling it into the bowl of emerald filling, it was a magnificent process. And I hadnāt even gotten to the phyllo dough yet.
The pastry resembles layers of parchment paper, and once they were room temp, they became flexible. It was as comforting as holding a thin cotton blanket in my hand. I lovingly transferred each sheet to the bottom of my baking dish, then dipped my pastry brush into the olive oil and brushed each sheet, one by one. It was beautiful. I was no longer some lady in a kitchen: I was a master painter in my studio. My canvas was a standard issue 9×13 glass baking dish. My masterpiece would feed my family.
How many things do we not try because weāve heard theyāre hard? Maybe āhardā is a poor substitute for the words ātime-consuming,ā or āunknown.ā Making spanakopita was a challenge that was worth every minute. The process of getting it ready for the oven stays with me. The task seemed nearly impossible, until I actually started doing it.
You are the one who can show up and work through all the layers. You will handle each challenge as it comes along. Difficult? Ha! There is nothing you canāt do. Doing it yourself is ALWAYS better, even when you stumble along the way. The results are delicious.
