Description
Mediterranean spinach and cheese pastry promises a delightful culinary journey through Greece’s traditional flavors. Crisp phyllo layers encase creamy feta and tender spinach, delivering a perfect balance of texture and taste for passionate home cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- ½ cup ricotta cheese (or cream cheese)
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (or goat cheese)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 cup frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- sesame seeds or nigella seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Spinach Mixture Preparation: Warm olive oil and sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add spinach and cook until wilted and moisture evaporates.
- Cheese and Seasoning Blend: Combine cooled spinach with ricotta, feta, mozzarella, egg yolk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, mixing thoroughly until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Pastry Foundation: Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface, cutting into uniform squares or rectangles with precise edges.
- Filling and Folding: Place spinach-cheese mixture in the center of each pastry piece, leaving space around the edges for sealing, then brush pastry borders with beaten egg.
- Shaping and Embellishing: Fold pastry corners to create elegant parcels, ensuring a tight seal, then brush with additional egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds.
- Baking and Serving: Slide pastries into a preheated 375F (190C) oven, baking until golden and puffy, then allow to cool briefly before presenting with a yogurt dip or crisp salad.
Notes
- Control Moisture: Remove excess liquid from spinach by gently squeezing with a clean kitchen towel to prevent soggy pastries.
- Perfect Pastry Seal: Press pastry edges firmly with a fork to create a tight seal and prevent cheese filling from leaking during baking.
- Temperature Timing: Let pastries rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to allow filling to set and prevent burns when eating.
- Customize Cheese Blend: Swap cheeses based on dietary needs or preferences – try goat cheese for tanginess or dairy-free alternatives for vegan options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg