Spinach Pastry Recipes

SPINACH PASTRY

Steps:

• Make the Pastry:
• Sift flour and salt into large bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter and shortening into flour mixture.
• Using a spatula, stir in combined water and lemon juice.
• Roll dough into ball, divide in half. Place in plastic wrap. Refrigerate over night.
• Preparing the Spinach:
• Chop the spinach.
• Meanwhile Preheat oven to about 350 degrees F.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan, add onion, cook until onion is soft. Add chive, celery, nutmeg and pepper.
• Stir in spinach, cook for 5 minutes. Stir well.
• Stir in the cheese. Set aside, to cool.
• Roll out dough on floured surface.
• Using a cutter, cut rounds 5 inches in diameter.
• Note: We used a Dough press to cut the rounds.
• Fill pastry rounds with 1 1/2 tbsp of spinach mixture.
• Seal the spinach pastry in the press or use a fork
• Brush with a little egg. Bake uncovered in 350 degrees F oven 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve cool.

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 ROLLS WITH PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt and mix well. Transfer to a bowl and mix in feta cheese.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut in half lengthwise. Roll 1 half out with a rolling pin so it is wide enough to fold twice lengthwise. Mix egg and milk together in a small bowl.
• Spread 1/6 of the spinach mixture lengthwise in the center of the puff pastry. Roll one side over the filling and brush the other side with egg-milk mixture. Roll over again to seal.
• Brush top of roll with egg-milk mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cut roll into 6 small rolls. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry. Place cut rolls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until spinach rolls are puffed up and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

SPICED SPINACH & POTATO PASTY PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan that has a lid or in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the cumin seeds in the oil for a few seconds until they start to crackle, then stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute more. Mix in the curry powder and cook for another minute. Stir through the potatoes until completely coated in the spice mix and cook for 4 mins.
• Pour about 75ml water over the potatoes and season with salt. Put the lid on and cook over a medium-high heat for 6-8 mins, until the potatoes are just cooked and most of the water has been absorbed. Add the spinach, cover the pan and cook for a minute. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 mins until the spinach is completely wilted and there's no liquid in the pan. Turn off the heat and season with the garam masala. Leave to cool. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• To assemble the pies, mix the egg with the turmeric and a pinch of salt in a bowl and set aside. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin and cut out four circles about 12cm wide, arranging them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put a quarter of the potato mixture into the middle of each pastry circle, leaving a border. Re-roll the pastry offcuts, then cut out four more circles, about 8cm wide. Brush the borders of the larger pastry circles with the spiced egg, then drape the smaller circles over the potato filling. Pinch the borders to seal. Brush the pies with more of the spiced egg and scatter over a pinch of cumin seeds. Will keep frozen for up to two months. Defrost fully before baking.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake the pies for 30-35 mins until deep golden. Leave to cool a little, then enjoy warm or leave to cool completely and eat like a pasty with mango chutney or lime pickle. Will keep chilled for two days in an airtight container.

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.

SPINACH PUFF PASTRY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll puff pastry to 11-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch diameter glass pie plate. Trim edges. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in half and half and eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

SPINACH TURNOVERS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture (dough will be stiff). Turn onto a floured surface; gently knead 10 times. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. , In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon; reserve 1 tablespoon drippings. Saute onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Remove from heat; stir in bacon, spinach, cottage cheese and seasonings. Cool. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into 3-in. circles; brush edges with egg. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each circle. Fold over; seal edges. Prick tops with a fork. Brush with egg. , Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salsa if desired.

SPINACH PIE IN PUFF PASTRY (SPANAKOPITA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment (preferable) but you can use aluminum foil with a light spray of cooking oil.
• Melt butter and cook onions for a few minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
• Beat eggs in medium bowl. Add cooked onion, spinach, feta, parmesan, bread crumbs. Add salt, pepper, & nutmeg. Mix well with fork.
• Place one unfolded sheet of puff pastry on the parchment or sprayed aluminum foil. Spread the spinach mixture over the pastry, leaving a border of one inch all around the edges. Keep the spinach flat; do not pile high.
• Brush the edges with the egg wash made with the last egg. Cover with the second sheet of pastry that has been slightly flattened with a rolling pin to one inch bigger than the first sheet. (This ensures all the spinach will be covered). Press edges together with fingertips or fork, making sure mixture is sealed well. Brush just the top with egg wash, careful not to drip any down the sides. Cut a few slits in the top with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape.
• Bake 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

CHEESE & SPINACH PASTIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the baking tray with baking parchment. Put the spinach onto pieces of kitchen paper. Pat flat to remove any water, then put in the bowl. Add the cheeses and nutmeg, stir together and set aside.
• Using a flour dredger, sprinkle some flour on the work surface. Roll out the pastry to a long rectangle (step 1). Using the biscuit cutter, cut out 6 circles (step 2). Brush the edges with water (step 3), then spoon the spinach mixture into the middle of each. Fold the edges together and squeeze them. Brush the tops with more water and make holes with a fork (step 4). Bake for 15-20 mins until golden, then enjoy warm or leave to cool completely and pack into lunchboxes.

SPINACH STUFFED PUFF PASTRY CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• -mix all other ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature.
• -Scoop tops of baked pastry shells out with a spoon.
• -Fill pastry shells with spinach mixture.
• -Bake 10-15 minutes, until spinach mixture is hot in the middle.