Spinach & Black Bean Egg Rolls

The market continues its steady climb. I had 6 showings this week and 1 offers. My reputation precedes me now — the Greek agent who tells the truth about roofs and brings food to open houses. Worse reputations exist.

Sophia came home with top marks in chemistry and announced it with the casual confidence of a girl who expects excellence from herself and receives it. She has Nikos's pride — the kind that pretends not to care while caring so fiercely it has its own gravitational field.

Mama is 81 and still at the bakery at 4 AM. I do not know how much longer she will do this. I do not ask. You do not ask Voula Papadopoulos about endings. You stand next to her and roll phyllo and trust that the beginning continues as long as the hands are moving.

I made gigantes plaki — giant beans baked in tomato sauce until creamy and collapsing. Peasant food elevated to poetry by olive oil and time. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.

Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.

I made the gigantes that night because I needed something that asked nothing of me except time — something that would sit in the oven and slowly become what it was meant to be. But the week before, when the showings were relentless and I was feeding clients at open houses and Sophia had not yet said what she said in the car, I made these egg rolls: spinach and black beans tucked into something crisp and golden, the kind of food that disappears fast and makes everyone reach for one more. They are not gigantes. They are not Greek. But they are honest and generous and they fill a table, which is the same thing, really.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 5 (2 egg rolls each)

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup chunky salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
10 egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten (for sealing)
2 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray (for baking) or neutral oil for frying

Instructions

Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, chopped spinach, Monterey Jack, salsa, cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir until evenly mixed. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Set up your station. Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry surface with one corner pointing toward you (diamond orientation). Keep a small bowl of the beaten egg nearby for sealing.
Fill and roll. Place about 3 tbsp of filling just below the center of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold both side corners in snugly. Roll upward firmly, brush the top corner with beaten egg, and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Cook — baked method. Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange egg rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush or spray lightly with olive oil. Bake 18–20 minutes, flipping once at the 10-minute mark, until deep golden and crisp.
Cook — pan-fry method (optional). Heat 1/2 inch of neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry egg rolls in batches, turning, 3–4 minutes per side until uniformly golden. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
Serve. Serve hot with extra salsa, sour cream, or a squeeze of lime. They go fast — make extra.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spinach & Black Bean Egg Rolls — For the Evenings When the Beans Hold Everything Together