Feta Puffs Recipes

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.

FETA CHEESE FOLDOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, blend feta cheese, green onions, and egg. Cut pastry into 12 (3 inch) squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Lightly brush pastries with the egg yolk mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FETA PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Roll out pastry into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Trim edges, preferably with a pizza wheel, and cut pastry lengthwise into 6 (1 1/2-inch-wide) strips. Chill strips on a baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Blend feta, cream, pepper, and 1 tablespoon egg in a food processor until smooth, then form into 21 balls on a work surface.
• Keeping remaining pastry covered, brush top of 1 strip with some of beaten egg. Starting 1/2 inch from one end and leaving 1/2 inch at opposite end, evenly space 7 cheese balls down center of strip. Cover with another pastry strip, pressing ends together, then press between balls of filling gently but firmly. Press pastry around each ball to seal top and bottom together and wipe away any filling that leaks out. Brush top of strip (but not sides) with some of egg and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon thyme. Cut between mounds of filling to form squares and arrange pastries 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make more pastries with remaining strips, filling, and thyme.
• Bake in middle of oven until puffed and golden, about 12 minutes. Serve warm.
• Note: Unbaked pastries can be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap, 2 weeks. Thaw in refrigerator.

PEAS AND FETA PUFFS

Steps:

• Zest the lemon. Crumble the feta, and blend with the lemon zest. Cut the pancetta into thin slices.
• Clean the mint, dry it and remove the leaves. Clean and dry the large size peas.
• Roll out the puff pastry, and cut out 6 circles that are 3 1/2" to 4" wide. Put cooking paper on a baking tray, or use a silicone sheet, and put the pastry circles onto it.
• On each circle, put 2 or 3 big peas on one half only. Sprinkle some pancetta slices on this, then some feta. Put a couple of mint leaves onto this.
• Fold the empty half of the circle onto the other side, making a half circle, or half moon shape. Seal the edges, pinching with your fingers, or press down using a fork.
• Scramble the egg yolk, and then brush egg yolk onto the surface of each half circle.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350F, or until browned.

SPINACH PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Unfold puff pastry; cut each sheet into 12 sections. Place in greased mini muffin cups, pressing gently onto bottoms and up sides, allowing corners to point up., In a large bowl, stir together spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, feta, 1 egg, garlic, pepper and salt. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each cup. Bring pastry corners together and pinch to seal. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg. Brush over pastry edges. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.