Feta Date Spinach Pastries Recipes

FETA, DATE & SPINACH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Put the spinach in a pan with 2 tbsp water over a low-medium heat and cover. Stir the spinach a couple of times until wilted, about 4 mins, then drain. When cool enough to handle, firmly squeeze the excess water from the spinach with your hands, then roughly chop.
• Heat 10g of the butter and all of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium-low heat until pale and softened. Add the drained spinach and garlic, season and cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.
• Transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl, then mix in the spring onions, dates, parsley, mint, pine nuts, feta and egg. Season.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Unroll the filo pastry and cut it into strips 9-10cm wide. Melt the rest of the butter, then brush one strip with some of it before putting another strip on top and brushing that too. Keep the remaining pastry covered with a tea towel as you work. Put two heaped teaspoonfuls of the filling at the end of the strip nearest to you. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry diagonally over the filling, so that what was the bottom edge now meets the right-hand edge of the pastry. Fold over the filled triangle and keep going like this with the whole strip, brushing with butter as you go, until you have a neat triangular filo package. Repeat the process with all the pastry and filling. Brush the top of each one with butter, then put onto baking sheets. Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds and bake for 25-30 mins, or until the pastry is golden brown.

SPINACH AND FETA PUFF PASTRY BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Thaw frozen spinach in microwave according to package directions or by running under warm water. Drain spinach, squeezing the excess liquid from it. In a bowl, mix the spinach, feta, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg together.
• Flour a clean, dry countertop or other flat working surface. Lay out the puff pasty on the floured surface. Flour the top of the dough. Roll out the puff pastry until it is half as thick (about 1/8-inch) and about 24 by 12 inches. Trim edges to size if necessary. Cut into 3-inch strips crosswise and lengthwise, making 32 (3-inch) squares. Make sure the squares are well floured then stack them in a little pile.
• Fill a little dish with some room temperature water. Imagine each square you work with is separated in half by a diagonal. Place a couple teaspoons of filling in the top half. Dip a finger into the water and moisten the edges of the top half with water. Fold the bottom half to meet the edges of the top half. Use a fork to seal the edges.
• Place finished pockets on a nonstick baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Serve warm.

SPINACH AND FETA PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Unroll dough onto work surface into 8 rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal. Cut each rectangle crosswise in half.
• Combine remaining ingredients. Spoon 1-1/2 Tbsp. onto center of each dough piece. Bring 4 corners together to overlap slightly in the center at top of each bundle. Twist and pinch to seal, leaving small gaps between seams. Transfer bundles to baking sheet.
• Bake 13 to 15 min. or until golden brown.