For a recent Halloween party, I found the perfect disguise: a side dish masquerading as an appetizer.
To deepen the identity crisis, Bon Appétit’s new November issue also touts these versatile spinach puffs as a “vegetable side and dinner roll in one.”
Call ‘em what you will. These puffs take no guff when it comes to taste.
As incredibly easy apps (or sides, or mains), they’re perfect for parties or lazy Saturday afternoons. And at 110 calories each and packed with spinach, I’m also telling myself they’re healthy.
I doubled the recipe to make a dozen and threw in a half-cup of rough-chopped walnuts for added texture. Feel free to spin these babies any way you want.
Here was my interpretation.
I just used two thawed packets of frozen spinach. The trick is to use your hands to ring out all the excess moisture to avoid sogginess. Then combine the spinach and the first five ingredients in a bowl. Fold in two eggs.
I rough-chopped about a half-cup of walnuts for added texture.
Pre-packaged puff pastry sheets are a great staple to have on-hand. Here, a picture’s worth a thousand words. Or 12:
Next, carefully place each square into a muffin tin and add the spinach mixture, twisting the ends of each dough square to form an enclosure. Easy as…
Twenty-five minutes in a 400-degree oven should do the trick.
Let the puffs cool for a bit, then remove each one carefully. I used a paring knife and a spoon. As a side or a main, you’ll want to serve them warm. As an app, they’re perfectly fine at room temperature.
Bon appétit! (No really, Bon Appétit).
Like I said, it’s a recipe rife with riffing potential. Try goat cheese instead of feta. Add jalapeno for a jolt of spice. Mushrooms for texture and added flavor. The possibilities are endless.
If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to get enough of this puff.
Ingredients
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped dill
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs, divided
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed, rolled out to a 12-inch square, kept chilled
Instructions
Using your hands, squeeze spinach until dry, forcing out as much water as possible (too much water will make for a soggy filling; you should have about 1 1/3 cups well-drained spinach). Mix spinach and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs to blend; fold into spinach mixture.
Cut puff pastry into 4 equal strips. Reserve 2 strips for another use. Cut each remaining strip into 3 squares for a total of 12. Place a square in each muffin cup, pressing into bottom and up sides and leaving corners pointing up. Divide filling among cups. Fold pastry over filling, pressing corners together to meet in center. DO AHEAD Spinach puffs can be assembled 3 hours ahead. Cover puffs and chill.
Preheat oven to 400°. Beat remaining eggs to blend in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash (this will give the pastry a nice sheen). Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let puffs cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp paring knife around pan edges to loosen; turn out puffs onto rack to cool slightly before serving.
Original recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit magazine.
Jessica Jorgensen says
This looks delicious! You should submit this to our University of Oregon recipe contest. You’ll just have to add a little paragraph about how it’s important to you or your family. http://slowfooduo.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/cooks-pots-and-tabletops-favorite-family-recipe-contest/