The perfect appetizer or nibble for easy entertaining. These Feta & Spinach Pastries are a light and crispy pastry are a great make ahead appetizer that’s full of flavour and easy to make.
What is Feta Cheese
Feta is a Greek brined curd white cheese made from sheep’s milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk. It is a soft, brined white cheese with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. It is formed into large blocks, and aged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp.
I don’t know if Feta is my favourite cheese or not, but it’s high on the list and there is always a block in the fridge. And the real Feta not the fake stuff. Because that is out there as well and is quite often called “Greek Style Cheese”. If you see a label like that, keep walking until you see the name Feta. There really is no substitute.
This recipe is pretty basic and super easy. Makes for a great appetizer and can even be made in advance. You bake them and reheat them just before serving. Or you can even freeze them. If you do freeze them, let them thaw and then reheat in the oven for say about 10 minutes. Perfect every single time. And you know what, they are even great at room temperature. Which, quite honestly, is how I usually serve them anyway.
Right so I used pre made puff pastry for these little morsels of goodness. Yes, traditionally you should use Filo pastry but I didn’t have any this time around and wasn’t about to leave the house that day for the millionth time to pick some up. So puff it was. If you are a traditionalist, use the Filo because it really is great. Mind you, I think the puff pastry did a great job this time around for these.
And if you love these Feta & Spinach Pastries, you have to check out my Spinach & Herb Stuffed Tomatoes. A summer favourite.
Notes About The Feta & Spinach Pastries
- Always use cold pastry simply because it is much easier to work with than room temperature or even warm pastry.
- Let the filling cool completely before filling the pastry. If you use warm filling, they pastry might start to tear and it gets pretty sticky pretty quickly. I speak from experience. So let it cool.
- Always brush the inside edges of the pastry because they will close with ease.
- Using floured hands helps in avoiding your hands sticking to the pastry when you are folding them and pressing them into place. I would also make sure the surface you are working with is floured as well. This avoids the pastry sticking to that as well.
Follow these easy steps and you are on your way to making the perfect little appetizers.
Make them in advance and enjoy fuss free entertaining in the moment.
Happy cooking friends.
Feta & Spinach Pastries
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet puff pastry cut into 12 squares
- 1 bag spinach roughly chopped
- 1 Cup Feta crumbled
- 1 small onion
- 1 Spring onion
- Small bunch fresh chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Eggs
- Pepper to season
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium to high heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Stir for a minute and add the white onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the spring onion and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Just about a minute. Season with pepper and add the fresh parsley. Stir well. Remove from heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Add one whisked egg and the crumbled feta. Stir to combine.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- On a large baking try lined with parchment paper, lay out the pastry squares. Brush all the edges of the pastry with the other whisked egg. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the centre of each pastry square. Fold over into triangles and press down gently to seal. Brush the top of the pastries with the whisked egg.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.
- Serve straight away or at room temperature.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You soon!
