Parmesan Squares are healthy, savoury and portable. Another bonus: The recipe makes a lot and they freeze well – perfect to pull out as needed.
My mom had been making these since I was a kid – and although I feel like they may be of old-school Reader's Digest vintage, I love them.
You can serve them as an appetizer but last week I made a back-to-school batch and have been putting them in lunches. They're healthy, savoury and portable.
Another bonus: The recipe makes a lot and they freeze well – perfect to pull out as needed. (That said, they are extra tasty snuck warm straight from the baking dish.) Grating real Parmigiano Reggiano will make a difference for not much extra effort.
Ingredients
3 packs of frozen spinach (300 g)
10 eggs
1 1/4 cup canola oil
2 finely chopped small onions
4 cloves minced garlic
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Method
Thaw 3 packs of frozen spinach (300 g). Cook as per package instructions and cool, drain out as much liquid as possible and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a large bowl combine 10 eggs and lightly whisk. Then add 1 1/4 cup canola oil, 2 finely chopped small onions, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 cups breadcrumbs and 1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Once combined, add the spinach and use your hands to make sure it is well integrated into the batter.
Lightly grease a 9-by-12-inch lasagna dish and add the mixture.
Bake for about one hour or until the edges are browning and the squares have firmed.
Cool and slice into 1-inch squares. Keep refrigerated if not eating immediately.
Can be eaten warm or cold.
This will make about 60 squares.
*Editor's note: An earlier version of this recipe included an incorrect cooking temperature.
Sue Riedl