Cheese / Main Dish / Recipes

Spanakopita Grilled Cheese on Moo-Na Lisa Cheese Bread

by Sigona's Farmers Market · April 21, 2022

Spanakopita Grilled Cheese on Moo-Na Lisa Cheese Bread

Get your palate ready for a double-whammy of deliciousness. Our Moo-Na Lisa cheese bread is made exclusively for Sigona’s by The Midwife & The Baker in Mountain View, Calif., using a cheese that’s also made exclusively for Sigona’s by Central Coast Creamery in Paso Robles. The bread is swirled with Moo-Na Lisa cheese and savory herbs, making it one of our most popular items to date. You can make a plain grilled cheese, but we got a tip from the mother of one of our crew members who said she made a spanakopita-style grilled cheese – we think it’s fantastic! Pairs well with Rudy Sauvignon Blanc. Serves 2.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Servings 2

Ingredients

Ingredients:

4 1-inch-thick slices of Sigona’s Moo-Na Lisa Cheese Bread
Butter for spreading
1 tbsp (heaping) Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 shallot diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried dill or 1 tsp minced fresh dill
4 large handfuls baby spinach
1/3 cup crumbled Feta more to taste
1 oz. cream cheese at room temp
Sliced Moo-Na Lisa Cheese enough to cover two slices of bread

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. When fragrant and just about translucent, add the garlic, dill and spinach, about 2 handfuls at a time. Sauté, stirring constantly, until all spinach has cooked down and is vibrant green, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
To the spinach mixture, stir in the Feta and cream cheese until incorporated.
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Lay out the slices butter-side down and then add the sliced cheese to two pieces of bread. Divide the spinach mixture between the two cheese-topped pieces of bread. Lay the remaining bread slices on top, butter-side up.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and allow to toast about 3 minutes a side, flipping once, until bread is golden and toasty, and cheese is melty (keep an eye the bread doesn’t over-toast; adjust heat as necessary). Tip: If you weigh down the sandwiches with a lid that’s slightly smaller than the skillet, it helps ensure an even toasting and helps keep the sandwich together.)
Allow sandwich to rest about 3 minutes before slicing. Serve with a glass of chilled Rudy Sauvignon Blanc.

Notes

Sigona’s Moo-Na Lisa Cheese

Sigona’s Moo-Na Lisa cheese is available only at Sigona’s. It was made in partnership with master cheesemaker Reggie Jones of Central Coast Creamery.

It’s a cheese so good it makes you smile.

Keyword cheese, grilled cheese, Moo-Na Lisa, sandwich, spanakopita

Tags: Moo-Na Lisa Cheese

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Carmelo Sigona emigrated in 1912 from Sicily, bringing with him the tradition of making his own wine. His grandson and namesake, Carmelo Sigona, co-owner of Sigona's Farmers Market, has fond memories of his grandfather making wine and serving it at family meals on Sundays. After years of wanting to make his own wine just like Grandpa Sigona, present-day Carmelo has finally made his dreams come true. Tune in for more.

Nothing is more rewarding to Rob Sigona, our passionate produce buyer, than taking a road trip to visit one of Sigona's favorite farmers. About a five hour drive from the Bay Area, nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, is the town of Springville. There you will find a place seemingly untouched by time; a place called home to orange grower Ron Matik of Pleasant Oaks Ranch. Since 1984 Ron has grown some of the best heirloom navel oranges in the state, if not the world: the heirloom Washington Navel. "I have yet to taste an orange that is better than ours,” says Matik. “Maybe some with the same sweetness, but never better.” And Sigona's agrees! Heirloom Washington Navels are the variety that got the whole California citrus market booming all those years ago. It takes special attention from the farmer to tend to the soil and the variety to produce such outstanding fruit. "Small farmers, such as Ron, are a dwindling breed,” says Rob Sigona. “They’re passionate caretakers of the the land that produce exceptional quality; they are the rare gems." It is an achievement to find such great tasting oranges to bring in for our customers. We are excited to announce we’ll get a load of specially picked and packed heirloom Washington Navels in our store this week, delivered directly from Pleasant Oaks Ranch. So, come on by Sigona's to enjoy a slice of California’s prized history…for FREE! You can get a bag of free Pleasant Oaks Ranch oranges starting today through March 5th with your coupon when you spend $30 or more in the store.

Spanakopita Grilled Cheese on Moo-Na Lisa Cheese Bread