Spinach Pkhali (Ispanakhis Pkhali)
ისპანახის ფხალი Ispanakhis pkhaliSay it: ees-pah-NAH-khees PKHAH-lee
Ispanakhis pkhali is Georgia's spinach pâté: blanched greens chopped fine and folded into a thick, garlicky walnut paste scented with coriander, blue fenugreek and marigold. It belongs to the pkhali family that opens every Georgian supra, the long table of cold dishes and toasts, and it turns up on home tables and restaurant menus all year round. The flavor is deep and savory-sour — toasted walnut, sweet onion, a sharp lift of vinegar, spinach underneath it all. Shaped into neat balls, it is surprisingly rich for a vegetable dish.
Spinach Pkhali (Ispanakhis Pkhali)
ისპანახის ფხალი, Ispanakhis pkhali
Pronounced ees-pah-NAH-khees PKHAH-lee
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
Also egg-free.
Allergens: contains nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the spinach
For the walnut paste
To finish
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the 1 tbsp salt. Blanch the spinach in batches for 30-60 seconds, just until wilted and bright green, then lift it out with tongs into a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Squeeze the cooled spinach by the handful to press out as much water as you can — it should feel almost dry — then chop it finely and set aside.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden at the edges, then tip them onto a plate to cool.
Put the cooled walnuts, garlic, onion, ground coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, cayenne and 3/4 tsp salt in a food processor and pulse to a fine, sandy mixture. Add the cilantro and vinegar and pulse again to a thick paste that holds together when pinched; add a spoonful of cold water only if it stays crumbly.
Add the chopped spinach and pulse 3-4 short times, or stir it in by hand, until evenly combined — the paste should stay slightly coarse, never puréed.
Taste and adjust. a little more vinegar for brightness, more salt, or a pinch of cayenne. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors settle.
With damp hands, roll the mixture into 8-10 walnut-sized balls and set them on a plate, or press it into a shallow dish and score a diamond pattern with a knife.
Scatter the pomegranate seeds and a few cilantro leaves over the top and serve at cool room temperature.
Regional variant: Beet Pkhali (Charkhlis Pkhali)
Replace the spinach with 1 lb (450 g) cooked, peeled and grated beets plus a handful of blanched beet greens, squeezed dry. Keep the same walnut paste, adding 1 extra tbsp vinegar and 1 more garlic clove to balance the sweetness, and fold the beets in at the end so the mixture stays deep magenta rather than muddy. Shape and garnish the same way.
Cook's notes
- Squeeze the spinach ruthlessly dry — leftover water makes the pkhali loose and dull.
- Aim for roughly equal volumes of squeezed spinach and ground walnut paste; that is the classic balance.
- Toast the walnuts first: it turns the paste from flat to deeply nutty.
Serve with
Warm Georgian bread (shoti or lavash), pickled jonjoli or cucumber, and a chilled white wine or tarragon lemonade.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days and the flavor deepens; bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
