Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastries

Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastries. Mixed with Ricotta too, the filling in these pastries and simple to make, and even easier to eat!

My late Yiayia (grandmother) who passed away only last month (June 2022), taught me this recipe. It’s typically the simple recipes that make the best dishes. Nothing fancy here, just staple ingredients you’d typically have in your fridge or freezer, and enough to make the tastiest snack everyone in the family can enjoy and appreciate.

Admittedly, my Yiayia made these Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastries with fresh spinach, but I didn’t have enough on hand, so I used frozen spinach. The difference? The frozen spinach offers a different texture but doesn’t compromise the taste. Now that I’ve had both variations, I do prefer fresh spinach but it really is personal preference and ultimately they still taste the same, which is what counts!

Either way, use what you have on hand. My Yiayia always made variations to her recipes based on what was in her pantry or fridge which is why it’s so hard to replicate their meals, but that’s what makes the craft of baking so special. They know how to experiment and just go with it, ending up in some of the most delectable recipes your palette will touch.

I’ve used a mixture of Feta cheese and Ricotta. The Ricotta gives it that smooth texture. If you don’t have ricotta on hand, using feta only will work just as well, but I highly recommend adding the Ricotta as it will add a creamy consistency to your mixture.

As for the puff pastry, your local supermarket sells puff pastry in packets in the frozen section. Buy a couple of those packets and allow them to properly thaw out for a couple of hours. Try not to handle these sheets when not properly thawed out. It’ll make the whole process a lot harder.

And as you can imagine, the filling combinations here are endless. You can ditch the spinach and just do an all-in cheese puff pastry. Try it with pumpkin, leek etc. Comment below if you’d like to see another filling combination!

If you prefer the texture of Phyllo Pastry, check out my recipe here. And as always, please drop a follow or a like on my Facebook page.

Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastries

Course: Uncategorized

Servings

30

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Ingredients

• Frozen spinach or fresh spinach 500g

• Olive oil X3 tablespoons

• Spring Onion X3
  

• White pepper 1 teaspoon

• Vegeta Stock Powder 1 teaspoon

• Butter Salted 250g

• Puff Pastry Sheets 6 sheets

• Greek Feta 400g

• Ricotta 400g
  

• Egg x1

• Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan and cook the spinach until most of the water has evaporated.
• Add chopped spring onions
• Add white pepper and Vegeta and mix well.
• In a separate bowl add both kinds of cheese and crumble them together.
  
• Mix in the egg.
  
• Combine the spinach mixture with the cheese mixture
• Cut a pastry sheet into quarters
• Fill each square with a spoonful of the spinach mixture in the centre of the square.
• Dip your finger in water and trace your finger along the border of the square
• Fold one corner of the pastry to the opposite corner to form a triangle.
  
• Press down to ensure both sides are stuck together.
• Fold the sides over creating a pattern.
  
• Using a fork that’s dipped in water, press down on the edges to form a partnered edge.
• Brush with butter on both sides
• Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
• Add to the oven on baking sheet and tray at 200°C for 30-35 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store Spinach Puffs or Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastries?

Follow the recipe steps above up until you’re ready to add them to the oven. Place the spinach triangles into a snap-lock bag and try to remove the air from the bag as best as possible before you seal them.

Place them in the refrigerator ensuring that each Spinach Puff is laying flat. Once frozen they no longer need to lay flat giving you extra storage space in your freezer.

When you’re ready to cook them, take them out of the snap-lock bag and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Pop straight into the oven.

What does spanakopita mean in Greek?

Let’s break spanakopita into two words. Spanaki and pita. Spanaki means Spinach and Pita means Pie. Together we have Spinach Pie.

Is Borek and Spanakopita the same?

Borek and Spanakopita are not the same, but Borek and Pita are the same. The names are interchangeable depending on where you come from. The Greeks use the word Pita, and the Balkan and Middle Eastern areas typically use Borek. If you fill the Borek with Spinach and Cheese, that’s called a Spinach and Cheese Borek, and similarly also called a Spanakopita.