Spanakopita Babka
Dinner: supporting my favorite restaurant when they need it most
Ryan Nordheimer•
October 31, 2025
Last week, one of my favorite restaurants in New York Agi’s Counter posted on Instagram that they weren’t doing well financially. I think the word used was “struggling”. I was shocked. I’ve been 4 times this year, maybe 7 times in total since I moved to New York two years ago, and they’ve always seemed busy. And I’m not one to frequent any ol’ restaurant. In fact, this could be my most frequented restaurant in all of New York. And it’s not even close to my apartment. It takes me upwards of 45 minutes to get there via subway, but it’s always beyond worth it. Agi’s Counter is a special place.
The first time I went was in January 2024. I went for a mint tea with one of my favorite creators who was giving me some social media advice. It was 3pm so we didn’t grab any food, but she swore that I had to come back to get the tuna melt.
So then the next time I went with my mom who was visiting me for the weekend. We ordered: the bruleed grapefruit with sugared brioche, the radicchio carraway caesar salad, the confit tuna melt (the piece de resistance), and 5 rye chocolate chip cookies. Everything was incredible. There are no other words to describe it. Every bite was transcendent. My mom and I were in heaven. And the attention to detail at the restaurant is unmatched. The little side of pickles and cabbage with the tuna melt. The club mints in the bathroom where candles are always lit. The red and white striped paper straw that comes with the iced coffee. Now every time my mom is in town, we debate whether or not to make a stop, knowing there’s all of New York to explore but also knowing Agi’s Counter will never disappoint.
Randomly, a couple months ago I spotted the chef-owner of Agi’s Counter at the Union Square farmers’ market. Since I have excellent facial recognition, I approached him to say hi. I had just come back from a run and, unfortunately, I think my entire mind had melted from the humidity. I couldn’t recall a) his name b) the restaurant’s name c) where the restaurant was even located. So the conversation was something along the lines of: “Hey! Are you ____ …. from that restaurant ____ um, that’s in _____”. He was still beyond sweet, and he appreciated my attempt at showing gratitude for the restaurant he created.
Anyway, this restaurant is very near and dear to my heart. Next time you’re in New York, I highly suggest you stop by Agi’s Counter for a meal. It’s right around the corner from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, which makes it a perfect one-two stop for brunch + an activity. Beyond just telling you to go to the restaurant or me dining there individually, I thought it would be nice to create a whole dinner meal inspired by the meals I’ve had at Agi’s Counter. That way my message can reach the most people. The owner also suggesting buying gift cards on their website, which you could send to a friend or family member who lives in New York.
These recipes are my takes on their dishes. Some of the actual recipes I believe are even published in his debut cookbook, so I recommend checking out that book too. I decided I would make:
- Burnished parika chicken legs with potatoes and onions
- White miso radicchio caesar salad
- Deviled eggs
- Spanakopita babka
Maybe if you make my food it’ll inspire you to try the real deal in Crown Heights, Brooklyn ASAP ;)
For the love of dill and Agi’s Counter,
Ryan
Hey! My name is Ryan Nordheimer. Welcome to my cooking and baking site. I’m a 25-year old home cook living in the East Village in New York City. Hopefully you enjoy my food through my own, tried-and-true recipes.
Ingredients (19)
Ingredients (19)
For the dough
For the spinach mixture
For baking
Instructions
To the bowl of stand mixer, add the flour (4 ¾ cups), sugar (¼ cup), olive oil (9 Tbsp), salt (1 tsp), yeast (2 tsp), and eggs (3 large). Mix on low to combine.
Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
Transfer dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let proof at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
Meanwhile place the frozen spinach (32 oz) in a large bowl. Microwave to thaw.
Press out as much water as humanly possible. You’ll get A LOT of water. I even like to take the spinach and place it into a tea towel and wring out all the water I can (like if you’re making latkes). Set aside.
In a saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and the onion (1 large). Saute until the onion is tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the spinach and let it cook out some of the remaining additional moisture, 2 - 3 minutes.
Transfer back into a large bowl. Add the garlic (3 cloves), lemon zest (1 lemon), remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, feta (4 oz), dill (1 bunch), and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Grease 2 loaf pans or 2 6 in. tall-sided cake pan (or 1 of each) with non-stick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
Press down on the dough to de-gas it. Divide the dough roughly in half.
Working with the first half, roll it out into a large square about 1/4” thick, using flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking but it most likely won’t. The exact dimensions don’t matter.
Scatter about half the spinach mixture all over the square. Roll the dough up into a tight log like you’re making cinnamon rolls.
Bend the dough into a U, then twist the two ends to make a spiral. Place the dough into the loaf pan, or coil a bit and place into the cake pan. Repeat with the other dough.
Cover both with plastic wrap and let proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 °F. When the breads are proofed, brush with beaten egg (1) and season with salt (to taste) and pepper (to taste).
Bake the breads until they are golden brown and register 205F on an instant-read thermometer, about 35 - 40 minutes for a loaf, 50 - 55 minutes for a cake.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the pans.
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