Spinach + Feta Nachos
January was a rough year, BUT WE MADE IT, FRIENDS.
(Just kidding, obviously).
In all sincerity though, month one of 2020 didn't hold a single thing back. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle casually walked away from a lifetime of royalty, an ungodly allowance and the Queen, herself. Dry January wreaked havoc on almost every social circle in the United States (including mine). And after almost two years of recipe testing, dreaming and photographing food in my studio apartment, my cookbook is getting sent to print this week.
OH, and the Super Bowl is happening in five seconds.
While everyone else is busy placing bets on their favorite football team, all I can think about is game day snacks. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I don't even know who's competing this year - and is it terrible that I don't really care, either? Football has never been my forte. Eating on the other hand... I can win at, all day.
When it comes to appetizers, I'm a sucker for anything nacho-related. There's something about the combination of a hot, salty chip dripping in gooey cheese that I can't get enough of. On the flip side, they do have one major downfall: if you don't eat them within 15 minutes, you might as well feed them to your garbage can. They have a dramatic habit of losing their appeal the moment they go from piping hot to cold.
These baked Spinach + Feta Nachos are the only exception!
You'll find that they taste equally as amazing as soon as they come out of the oven and at room temperature. Although, they'll probably be devoured before they have the chance to cool down.
This Super Bowl snack is made using freshly baked pita chips opposed to tortilla chips. In just 10 minutes, you'll transform fluffy pitas into lightly crisped chips that taste 110% better than any chip you'll ever eat out of a plastic bag. I promise. In fact, I recommend making double the specified amount of pita, just for snacking purposes. You're going to want more.
Said pita chips are then dressed in a garlicky, yogurt-based sauce, topped with spinach, then finished with a hefty sprinkle of feta cheese and parsley. I like to add a pinch of flaky salt as a garnish, too.
Now that I've written the obligatory seven paragraphs every food blogger succumbs to in recipe posts, it's time for you to hit the grocery store. Luckily, you may have half of these ingredients in your kitchen already.
I cooked this recipe with the wonderful Carissa Galloway on WFLA News Channel 8's new segment, BLOOM! So, if you want to see the assembly of this appetizer, or you simply miss my face, watch the video segment here.
Happy snacking!
Ingredients
TOPPINGS
1 cup whole fat Greek yogurt
Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped + separated
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 cup Feta cheese crumbles
6 ounces Frozen spinach, cooked + strained
CHIPS
6 pita rounds, cut each round into eight slices
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Flaky salt + freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley and onion. Set aside to let the flavors love each other.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut each pita round into eight slices, like a pizza. Place pita slices on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with flaky salt and pepper.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and crisped.
While the chips are baking, cook the spinach according to the package directions. Strain the spinach, using your fingers to press down firmly. You want to ensure all extra juices are released. Set aside.
Plate chips on the serving dish of your choice. Layer with spinach, yogurt sauce and feta cheese.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and flaky salt, like Maldon. Serve immediately to your guests!
If you have any burning questions about this recipe, you know where to find me: melissa@foodxfeels.com. Alternatively, visit me on Instagram at @melsantell.
Cheers,
Melissa