Fongos is a traditional baked dish from Izmir’s Sephardic cuisine made with spinach, stale bread, eggs and cheese, and often topped with a soft potato mixture. The spinach is first softened or sautéed, then mixed with bread and baked until set and golden. This version serves 6 to 8 and can be prepared for a Shabbat table, for guests or as an everyday meal.

Serves 6-8 people

1 kg spinach
4 thick slices stale bread, crusts removed
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
180 g mixed grated cheese (preferably tulum and aged kashkaval)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

For the topping
2 medium potatoes
2 eggs
100 g grated aged kashkaval cheese
A pinch of salt

Step One

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Step Two

Boil the potatoes until tender, then mash them with the salt, eggs and grated cheese. The mixture should be soft but not too runny. Set aside.

Step Three

Wash the spinach well, drain it and chop it coarsely. Soften it either by letting it sit in very hot water for 5 to 10 minutes or by sautéing it in olive oil.

Step Four

Soak the bread in water for 5 minutes, then squeeze it well.

Step Five

In a large bowl, combine the bread with the spinach, milk, salt and cheese. Beat the eggs separately and add them to the mixture.

Step Six

Heat the olive oil in a 28 cm baking pan or ovenproof skillet and spread the spinach mixture evenly inside.

Step Seven

Place tablespoon-sized amounts of the potato mixture over the top of the spinach mixture.

Step Eight

Bake for about 40 minutes, until set and golden.

Step Nine

Serve warm.

Note: If tulum is unavailable, pecorino Romano can be used instead. Kashkaval is also known in Turkey as kaşar.