Monday, May 2, 2022

Puff Pastry Spanakopita



Today I was once again lucky enough to have Mita make lunch for us. To no one's surprise, lunch was out of this world amazing. Mita spent years onboard the Na'ia as their cook, her food is some of the best in Fiji. Now semi-retired to Rakiraki, she works as a private chef in homes on Volivoli and around Ra. Mita is fully vaccinated and boosted and is available for in home catering, call her at 276-5602. 

Puff Pastry Spanakopita

  • 1 kg spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 eggs, whites and yolks separated
  • 200 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup yogurt (double if no sour cream or use ricotta)
  • ¼ cup sour cream (double if no yogurt or use ricotta)
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 sheets puff pastry

Used in this recipe: Colander, Baking trays, Parchment paper, pastry brush

  1. Thaw the frozen spinach, leave to drain while you cook the onions. Squeeze thoroughly and set aside
  2. In a skillet over medium heat melt the butter and cook the onions until soft and translucent, add to the thawed and squeezed dry spinach
  3. While the onions, cook mix the feta, yogurt, sour cream, flour and egg yolks in a mixing bowl
  4. Mix the egg whites together to make an egg wash and set aside
  5. Then mix the spinach and onions into the feta/dairy and eggs, add salt and pepper to taste
  6. Roll out one Puff Pastry sheet to roughly 12 inches square, score the sheet into 16 squares approximately 3x3 inches
  7. Divide the filling in half in the bowl and then split one of those halves between the 16 squares
  8. Fold each square over to form a triangle and then use a folk to crimp the edge
  9. Chill for 30 minutes before baking.
  10. Preheat oven to 350F/175C
  11. Transfer the hand pies to a baking sheet, brush lightly with the egg wash and bake in a 350˚F/175C oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through
  12. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and filling

If freezing for later, stop after step 8, do not wash with egg. Freeze on a flat tray lined with parchment paper and transfer to a Ziploc bag within 24 hours. To cook let thaw in refrigerator and continue from step 10