Fugitive Pieces: Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁

Year Released: 2007
Directed by: Jeremy Podeswa
Starring: Stephen Dillane, Rade Šerbedžija, Rosmund Pike, Rachel Lefevre
(R, 195 min)
Genre: Drama

 “I did not witness the most important events in my life. My deepest story must be told by a blind man, from behind a wall, from underground.”  –Jakob Beer

Different Drummer stumbled upon this undiscovered gem almost by accident, confusing it with Marlon Brando’s Fugitive Kind (1960). A glorious mistake!

Fugitive Pieces is a must see for discriminating viewers. The kind of film that haunts you long after the screen darkens with its kaleidoscope of images – brutish death and loving kindness, cramped apartments and glorious sun drenched shores, brooding reveries and joyous passion.

Much of its indelible imprint is due to the fine cast, especially the lead, Stephen Dillane, who plays Jakob, a child orphaned in Poland and the exquisite supporting character, Athose Rousos (Rade Šerbedžija), the Greek archeologist who saved him.

Of course, that is a very bland way of describing what makes young Jakob an orphan, as the audience witnesses in the opening scene. The youngster hidden behind a curtain of wallpaper watches his parents shot in cold blood by Nazis and his beloved sister Bella (Nina Dobrev) dragged away.

Hidden under a pile of leaves in the forest, Jakob is discovered by Athos, who is working a dig in Poland. Athos risks life and limb smuggling the young boy out of Poland to his native Greek islands. Jakob is almost catatonic for several weeks, but under the loving care of Athos and his nurturing neighbor, the boy begins to come out of his shell. 

Some final acts of Nazi brutality propel Athos to take a university job in Canada, where we watch snippets of Jakob’s youth.

The film is hardly a straight narrative though, as images of the opening catastrophe invade Jakob’s thoughts, even as he thinks he has at last found love. Those scenes with a radiant Rosamund Pike as his first love Alex take our breath away. But Jakob is not ready for all that sunshine, not just yet. He is repulsed by “her shameless vitality.” (As a side note, Rosamund Pike’s top billing in this film is due to her name recognition; her role is relatively minor.)

 In retrospect, Jakob tries to explain his rejection of her: 

I tried to bury images, to cover them up with distractions, with attempts at love. By day, I entered the world, but at night, my mother, my father, Bella, simply rose, shook the earth from their clothes, and waited.

He finds release in his writing, though, and brings tears to Athos as he reads to him:

There is earth that never leaves your hands, rain that never leaves your bones. At night, memory roams your skin. While you sleep, the sea floods your house. You wake in the bog, burning with the smell of earth. Nothing releases you, not death in the dream, not waking. This is how one becomes undone by a smell, a word, a place, a photo of a mountain of shoes. By love that closes its mouth before calling a name.

Quite a change from the profanity-laden garbage that currently fills our screens, such as the overpraised Yellowstone, its soaring landscapes and rugged independence not enough to wash away its F-word-fueled tawdriness. (Sorry, Yellowstone fans.  After sitting through 3 episodes, I bailed.)

Fugitive Pieces allows the audience to suffer along with Jakob, but it also allows us to heal with him. That kind of healing is much needed right now.

And for a change, I agree with the critics who label Fugitives Pieces “A film of special humanity,” (Roger Ebert), “Emotionally gripping,” (Scott Foundas), and best of all, ”Achingly beautiful,” (Bruce Kirland.)

Not to miss.  A triumph of film making that is all too rare.

–Kathy Borich
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

Trailer

Film-Loving Foodie

Canada was his refuge, but Greece was where Jacob healed. His return to Greece, the country deeply embedded in his savior Athos’ bones, works its magic on Jakob as well. 

There he is finally able to allow the sunshine into his shriveled soul, to let the sea drink his sadness.

Let us sit on his sunlit summit over the sea and have some delicious Greek Spanikopita, that delightful spinach/cheese pie with its flaky crust as light as Jakob’s soul yearns to be.

Spanakopita

Ingredients

FOR THE SPINACH AND FETA FILLING

·       16 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained

·       2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped

·       1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

·       2 garlic cloves, minced

·       2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·       4 eggs

·       10.5 oz quality feta cheese, crumbled

·       2 tsp dried dill weed

·       Freshly-ground black pepper

FOR THE CRUST

·       1 16 oz package (phyllo) fillo (#4 pastry sheets), properly thawed (see tips above)

·       1 cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed

Instructions

1.      Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.      Before you begin mixing the filling, be sure the spinach is very well drained, and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.

3.      To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the remaining filling ingredients. Stir until all is well-combined.

4.      Unroll the phyllo (fillo) sheets and place them between two slightly damp kitchen cloths.

5.      Prepare a 9 1/2" X 13" baking dish. Brush the bottom and sides of the dish with olive oil.

6.      To assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo (fillo) letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush with olive oil. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them with olive oil. Repeat until two-thirds of the phyllo (fillo) is used up.

7.      Now, evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo (fillo) crust. Top with two more sheets, and brush with olive oil.

8.      Continue to layer the phyllo (fillo) sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with olive oil, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a few drops of water.

9.      Fold the flaps or excess from the sides, you can crumble them a little. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil. Cut Spanakopita ONLY PART-WAY through into squares, or leave the cutting to later.

10.    Bake in the 325 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo (fillo) crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Finish cutting into squares and serve. Enjoy!

NOTES

·       Tips for Working with Phyllo: As mentioned earlier in the post, remember that phyllo is paper thin and will break as you are working with it. For best results, place phyllo dough sheets in between two very slightly damp kitchen towels (step #4) before you start working with it (unless you think you will work fast enough that the phyllo will not dry out.) Also, be sure to brush each layer with oil; don't skimp.

·       Make Ahead Tips: You can make spanakopita the evening before. Follow up to step #9, cover and refrigerate. When you are ready, go ahead and bake according to step #10.

·       Leftover Storing and Freezing Tips: Already cooked spanakopita will keep well if properly storied in the fridge for 2 to 3 evenings. Heat in medium-heated oven until warmed through. You can also portion cooked leftover spanakopita and freeze for a later time. Warm in oven; no need to thaw in advance.

·       What to Serve with Spanakopita? Spanakopita makes a great side dish for large holiday dinners next to lamb or lemon chicken.  But it can easily stand alone as the main dish. Serve it with a big salad like Greek salad. 

·       Recommended for this Recipe:  Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives).     

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