Cast Iron

Mollie Katzen's Mushroom Yogurt Pie with Spinach Crust

by:
October 28, 2015
4.3
3 Ratings
Mollie Katzen's Mushroom Yogurt Pie with Spinach Crust
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This is 1980s hippie food in the most comforting, best possible way. Published in her hand-written book The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, it’s a vegetarian main that will feel substantial enough to make the vegetarians feel special, but you might need to make extra for the omnivores. Adapted slightly from Mollie Katzen's Enchanted Broccoli Forest (Ten Speed Press, 2000) —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the Spinach Crust
  • 3/4 pound spinach, chopped very fine
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
  • 3/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • For the Mushroom Yogurt Pie
  • 1 Spinach crust
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons flour (white or whole wheat)
  • 1 egg (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup firm yogurt (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar
  • 1/4 cup freshly minced parsley
  • Lots of fresh black pepper
  • Extra cheddar (for the top)
  • Paprika (for the top)
Directions
  1. For the Spinach Crust
  2. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  3. Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet, add the spinach, and cook it quickly over fairly high heat, stirring, until it is just limp.
  4. Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients, and mix well.
  5. Pat into a buttered 9-inch pie pan. Use a fork first, then your fingers, to mold the crust. Pre-bake for 15 minutes at 375° F.
  1. For the Mushroom Yogurt Pie
  2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  3. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the onions in butter with salt, until the onions are soft (5 to 8 minutes).
  4. Add the mushrooms and the lemon juice. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, about 5 to 8 more minutes.
  5. Gradually, as you stir, sprinkle in the flour. Keep cooking and stirring over medium-low heat another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Beat together the egg, yogurt, pepper, cheddar, and parsley. Stir the mushroom saute into this mixture, then beat it well.
  7. Turn the filling into the pre-baked crust (you don't need to cool the crust first). Top with extra cheese and paprika.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes at 350° F.
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15 Reviews

Greg F.
Greg F. May 1, 2020
Like everyone else, we made our substitutions in the crust: almond flour and ground pork rinds. With that, this was really very good. We are already planning on asparagus instead of or with the mushrooms and other cheese options. We’re trying to eat more spinach and this will likely go into heavy rotation around here. Thanks
 
Hollis M.
Hollis M. December 19, 2018
I made this last night with fresh chanterelles, and mataike mushrooms and gruyere cheese. I am allergic to wheat and so subbed quinoa flour for white flour, and flaxmeal for wheat germ. I also am allergic to eggs and subbed in 1/2c water blended with 1/2c garbanzo bean flour. It was totally delicious. No blandness as described below. I cooked a bit longer-- more like 45 minutes. I will make this again and again!
 
lekha
lekha January 5, 2018
What can I use instead of wheat germ?
 
Sarada B.
Sarada B. June 18, 2017
This is actually a very good recipe that I have made for years with excellent results. Firm yogurt is Full Cream or cream on top. Don't Sub out the wheat germ its importanceis vital to texture and taste as it lends a wonderful nuttyness to the dish. Chilled overnight as it's not a warm dish...do as you wish but the flavors are more complex after a nice rest. Who knows maby the taste fairy only visits mushroom pies at night!
 
Annie S.
Annie S. November 25, 2015
I have some hippie cred having been born in 1950 and remember when we all tried to up the nutritional content of our meals. Most food should be some shade of brown! Brown rice...date sugar...tamari...seitan...became de rigeur. Bye bye white bread! Carob not chocolate! Wheat germ on or in everything and taste was secondary. We were coming from the nutritional wasteland of the fifties.
I digress...! Everyone made their own yogurt and some strained the whey off and some didn't. Strained yogurt is firm yogurt.
Btw things got brighter when it was discovered we hippies had a soft spot for croissants!
 
AJD8129
AJD8129 November 23, 2015
Yikes. I made this yesterday and the crust was exactly as I would imagine spinach cardboard to taste. I subbed a mix of oat bran and ground flax seed for the wheat germ but can't imagine that would explain the tastelessness. The filling was ok - also slightly tasteless, and only made enough to half-fill the crust. If I made again (which I probably wouldn't) I would add more eggs and perhaps other vegetables to the filling and try to think of something to salvage the crust. Maybe mix fresh herbs with the spinach? It was actually funny how bad this was. Would have been funnier if it hadn't taken so long to make :/
 
Jusika
Jusika November 24, 2015
that bad? tbh, I DID wonder if it's going to have any depth of taste or flavor. I'd love to know what others thought of this recipe!
 
viblanco
viblanco November 24, 2015
Oh no! I was thinking about making this tonight so I'm glad I saw your comments. I've noticed that older recipes (80s) seem void of any spices. At any rate, it seems like it has potential with some changes based on your comments.
 
Windischgirl
Windischgirl November 16, 2015
I'm thinking the firm yogurt is probably the consistency of Greek yogurt. This recipe is circa 1970's before Greek yogurt became 'a thing', and recipes then would suggest rigging up a cheesecloth hammock to drain off the excess whey from the yogurt, overnight. Voila, "firm" yogurt...the texture of Greek yogurt.
 
Vanessa
Vanessa November 15, 2015
I used 1.5 cups of flour instead of any wheat germ and freshly foraged chanterelles I had picked. This was incredible and people couldn't stop talking about it
 
Jusika
Jusika November 13, 2015
What is the wheat germ for? Can it be substituted with something else?
 
Margie
Margie November 11, 2015
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
 
LC
LC November 8, 2015
I've never cooked with yogurt before so please excuse this question: What do you mean by firm yogurt? Is this a special type of yogurt, different from plain or Greek yogurt? Wouldn't the yogurt curdle in the heat?
 
Lise
Lise November 8, 2015
The firm yogurt is confusing for me as well, so I replaced it with creme fraiche. About the same consistency as full fat greek yogurt, and it worked fine (delicious!). The flour in the filling should stop the yogurt from splitting.
 
David B.
David B. April 17, 2021
Good quality Greek yogurt works fine. We use Publix stores healthy brand, Greenwise, and it turns out delicious! To make sure your yogurt is 'firm' as requested for this recipe, fill a measuring cup and invert it - firm yogurt stays in place, other types dribble or plop! 😊 Like most of Mollie's rich, dairy-full recipes, this dish tastes scrumptious and well worth the 1 1/4 hrs prep time.