Fall is a great time to share the bounty of the harvest and the gift of good company. Here are two recipes perfect for those fall potlucks and dinner parties that are sure to please even the pickiest crowd. We hope you enjoy these recipes; have a great time preparing them and sharing them!

This Italian gratin is a perfect dish for families. It’s rich and flavorful and contains all the major food groups. It’s also a nice choice for covered dish suppers. The orzo pasta is a welcome change from big pasta salads and spaghetti dishes.

The recipe for Spanakopita is a little more involved than the Italian gratin, but the spinach mixture can be prepared beforehand to make the process a little faster. This rich dish is great for a fall dinner party and can be served in small portions as an appetizer.

Spanakopita
2 pounds spinach
1 onion – finely diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup green onion
1/2 cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon dill
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup Feta cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2/3 cup butter
12 sheets Phyllo dough

Steam spinach, press and drain.
Saute onions with oil and add green onions. Remove from heat and add parsley, dill, and nutmeg. In the skillet, add spinach and cheeses, then eggs.
Brush a 9x12 pan with butter and place four sheets of dough in the pan, brushing each with butter.
Layer spinach mixture and phyllo (again brushing each sheet with butter) in pan, topping with phyllo flakes.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Italian Gratin
1 cup diced onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup orzo
2 cups spinach
4 cups mushrooms
2 cups Romano cheese
1 cup bread crumbs

Spread half the tomato mixture in an oiled 11x7 casserole dish. Cover with orzo.
Layer spinach, mushrooms and one cup of cheese.
Top with the rest of the tomato mix followed by the bread crumbs.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Cover tightly with foil.
Bake 25 minutes at 350. Uncover dish and bake 23
minutes more.

Recipes from Pete Chiles, chef in Hendersonville Community Co-op’s Blue Mountain Café, and Kelly Fain, the store’s marketing director. Hendersonville Community Co-op is located at 715 Old Spartanburg Hwy in Hendersonville, N.C. For more info, call 828-693-0505.

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