Spinach Feta Pastries (Printable Version)
Golden pastries with spinach, feta, and fresh herbs for a flavorful Mediterranean snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (approximately 8.8 oz)
→ Filling
02 - 7 oz fresh spinach (or 5.3 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
03 - 5.3 oz crumbled feta cheese
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
10 - 1 egg yolk
11 - 1 tbsp water
12 - Sesame seeds or nigella seeds, optional
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a bowl, mix the cooled spinach mixture with crumbled feta, chopped dill or parsley, and the whole egg. Season with salt and black pepper.
05 - Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 equal squares.
06 - Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of each square.
07 - Fold each square into a triangle or rectangle and press edges firmly to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges.
08 - Whisk egg yolk with water and brush over the pastries. Optionally, sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and puffed.
10 - Allow pastries to cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- They look absolutely stunning on a plate, but honestly, they're easier to make than people think—the puff pastry does most of the heavy lifting for you
- That creamy, salty feta mixed with fresh herbs and wilted spinach is just the right balance of simple and sophisticated
- They're perfect warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the fridge, which means you can make them ahead and not worry about timing
02 -
- The most important thing I learned the hard way: drain your spinach really, really well. Excess moisture is the enemy of a crispy pastry, and I've learned this through soggy bottoms that made me never want to make pastries again
- Don't skip letting the filling cool before adding the egg. I once added hot spinach straight to the egg and ended up with scrambled bits, and it changed the whole texture of the filling
- Puff pastry is forgiving, but it loves cold surfaces. If you're working in a warm kitchen, pop the cut pastries in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking—they'll puff even more beautifully
03 -
- Keep your puff pastry as cold as possible while working with it—a warm pastry won't puff the way you want it to. If yours starts getting soft, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes
- Don't skip the egg wash. It's what creates that gorgeous golden color and signals to everyone that you've put care into this. It also helps any seeds stick beautifully
- Taste your filling while you're making it and season boldly. The herbs, the feta, the spinach—they all need to be confident flavors so they shine through the rich pastry