“Big Dip Energy” is more than the cheeky title of food writer Alyse Whitney’s new smile-inducing cookbook. Whitney describes the name as a personality trait where people are drawn to you because you always bring fun and togetherness to the party. I couldn’t agree more — there’s nothing like a dip to lure everybody in and bring elbow-bumping playfulness to the table. The book is peppered with adorable puns and delivers dozens of creative recipes for dips, not just as starters but as “dipsserts” and dinners, too.
This recipe, adapted from what she calls “Spanakopidip” in the Dip for Dinner chapter, immediately caught my eye. I could be accused of being overly enamored with the Greek phyllo pie filling, having used versions of it as a pasta sauce, topping for fish, salad inspiration and more.
But it never occurred to me to turn it into a dip. Now, there is no going back. The traditional flavors — spinach, feta, herbs, scallion and garlic — seem meant to be together in this creamy, yogurt-based snack-for-dinner.
Get the recipe: Spanakopita Dip
The recipe starts just as the filling would — by sautéing onion and garlic in olive oil, then adding a mound of cooked, chopped spinach. Using frozen spinach that’s been defrosted makes this a cinch — just be sure to squeeze as much of the liquid out of it as possible so the dip doesn’t become watery. (You can save the liquid for a soup or smoothie, if you’d like.)
The dip yogurt base gets a flavor bump from feta, lemon, dill, parsley and scallions, and then you get to choose your own (dip) adventure.
For a hot dip, you stir the yogurt mixture into the spinach in the skillet and let it warm through. For a chilled version, you stir the spinach into the cold yogurt mixture.
Served with pita chips and vegetables, I could certainly make a fun dinner of the flavorful spinach-packed dip, but I’d be willing to share it with friends, too, as it would definitely add a bowlful of “big dip energy” to any party.
Get the recipe: Spanakopita Dip
Source link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2024/06/26/spanakopita-dip/