{V I D E O} Spinach + feta pasties.

16.06

When I was about 17, I went through a phase of being totally hooked on these incredible spinach and feta filo pasties that my Mum’s lovely Bosnian friend used to make me. I could’ve eaten them all day long. Even at breakfast time! I mean, they were made of carbs, and veg, AND dairy! What’s not to love? I remember them as having the most richly savoury flavour- with salty cheese and irony spinach all wrapped up in a few layers of fine filo pastry. These pasties of mine are an homage to those ones from years ago- an English twist on traditional Mediterranean ‘spanakopita’ pastries.

We’ve been eating a fair few pasties, lately. I started off experimenting with sweet potato fillings, then moved on to cheddar cheese + potato + onion combos, and now have settled on this spinach, feta and nutmeg filling as my absolute favourite. We eat them for light weekend lunches, and fast weekday dinners, and last weekend my Mum and I wrapped up a couple and ate them in the car whilst halfway round the M25. Two words for you on that scenario : Crumbs. Everywhere.

I’ve made this recipe into a little video instead of a photo series for a change, because why on earth not! And it only took about 5 times as long as shooting a set of photos does! ;) Oh, it was a labour of love for sure!

Cider-with-Rosie-Spinach-and-feta-pasties

{Makes around 5 large pasties (as shown), or cut the pastry rounds smaller to make mini pasties}

Ingredients:
300g plain flour
150g cold unsalted butter
250g spinach
200g feta cheese
1 egg + 1 extra yolk
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
A couple of pinches of salt

- Cut the butter up into roughly 1/2 inch cubes, then add to the flour along with a pinch of salt. Place the bowl into the fridge for about 10 minutes which we get on with making the spinach (chilling the ingredients will help the pastry get really nice and flaky later on).

- Add the spinach to a frying pan along with a drizzle of olive oil, a smashed garlic clove, pinch of salt, and quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Place over a low heat, & heat gently until the spinach is completely wilted.

- Drain into a sieve, and then spend a good few minutes squeezing *all* of the liquid out so that it doesn’t make the pastry go soggy later on. When it’s as dry as you can make it, spread it out onto a plate to cool.

- Take the bowl containing the butter and flour out of the fridge, and begin mixing in iced water a couple of tablespoons at a time. Keep stirring and adding in iced water (take care not to drop in any ice cubes!) and stop mixing just as soon as the dough clumps together in a rough ball. Tip it out onto a well floured surface, and press in any loose bits of dough and flour.

-  Flour your rolling pin, and begin rolling out the dough into a long rectangle. When the dough’s about a centimetre thick, take the bottom of the rectangle and fold the bottom third of the pastry over the middle third, and then take the top third of the pastry and fold it over the top of that. Rotate the dough by 90 degrees, and then repeat the rolling, folding, and turning process another 5 times.

- The dough will still have visible streaks of butter in when you’re finished, but will be smooth and coherent in texture. The streaks of butter are what will give the pastry layers of flakiness when cooked! Wrap the pastry dough in cling film, and then put in the fridge to relax for half an hour.

- Whilst the dough chills and relaxes, roughly chop the cooled spinach, and then put it into a bowl and crumble in the feta. Add in one egg yolk, and then stir to combine. Give the mixture a taste, and add in any extra seasoning (salt, pepper, lemon zest) if you feel it needs it!

- After the dough has had half an hour in the fridge, take it out and roll it until it’s about 5 millimetres thick. Cut around a small bowl (or use a smaller cutter, if you’re making mini pasties) and then place the pastry rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. I rerolled the scraps of pastry partway through cutting out the rounds, and got 5 fairly large pasties from this batch.

- Place a heaping dessert spoonful of the filling into the centre of each pasty, then brush the edge with a little beaten egg. Fold over the pastry, and use your hands to press the edges closed and to remove any air from the pasty. Crimp the edges closed with a fork, then make a small hole in the body of the pasty to let out steam. Brush the whole thing with beaten egg, sprinkle with a little salt, then put in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius or 350 degrees fahrenheit and cook for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is a light golden colour. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, and then dive on in!

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26 Comments
Posted in FROM MY HOME TO YOURS, RECIPE, YOUTUBE
  • http://thelauracarlson.blogspot.ae/ Laura

    Such a beautiful video! Love how you shot it.

    The pastries also look delish.. will definitely give them a go on the weekend. I love spinach and feta combo in everything and usually make pasta or omelette with it so cant wait to try these as well.

    Xx
    Laura

  • http://www.rushandteal.co.uk Allie

    These look incredible, think I need to make these next weekend! xx

    Allie | Rush & Teal

  • http://www.daisybutter.com Michelle

    These look incredible Rosie! Am certainly going to try these when I have a little more time on my hands! Hope you’re well dear.

  • http://www.littlepaperswans.com/ Cathryn

    These look incredible and I loved the video so much. You need a cookery programme now! :)

  • http://www.rhymeandribbons.com Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons

    I’m really enjoying the videos lately Rosie! x

  • http://leavventuredellapice.blogspot.it/ Bea

    Oh my God!!
    Looove this post!
    I’m a fan of Rachel Khoo, and I love videos about recipes!!!
    :)

  • http://www.brittonloves.blogspot.co.uk Lauren S

    i love little pasteries and tarts for dinner, and this is a winning combo ! we love vegetable ones, and i have some recipes on my blog too :)
    Lauren x
    Britton Loves | Fashion Lifestyle + Photography – http://www.brittonloves.blogspot.co.uk

  • http://www.sevenlivesandmore.com/ Melodie

    It looks absolutely delicious Rosie!!! Great video! I’ll make sure to share it with you if i try this recipe, and i certainly will!!
    xoxo
    Melodie
    http://www.sevenlivesandmore.com/

  • http://fawnandpeach.blogspot.com Emily Michelle

    This is perfect! I’ve been looking for a recipe for exactly this and you make it seem so simple. Thank you for sharing :)

    Emily x

  • http://www.waterpainteddreams.com Hayley

    These look amazing. I had something similar for dinner at my prom and it was amazing!
    Hayley
    Water Painted Dreams xo

  • http://www.thewhitejournal.co.uk Katie

    You’ve made me want to make my own rough puff, it looks much easier than I thought! Your pasties look asbolutely delicious xx

  • http://www.pinkcatcustardandcake.co.uk PinkCatJo

    They sound delicious – I’m so hungry now. I can’t wait to try out the recipe. The video was super! x

  • http://www.hersundaysmile.blogspot.co.uk Sarah

    Wow Rosie, those pasties look amazing. I love pasties, there is something so wholesome and rustic about them, and you’ve managed to present them so beautifully. Definitely going to have to try this recipe! x

    Sarah// A Sunday Smile

  • http://www.girlinbrogues.com Saskia

    Spanakopita is delicious! I used to make it quite a lot, but mine would always turn out a bit droopy and wet, unlike these ones! (Probably because I was too lazy to squeeze out the juice!)

    Saskia / girlinbrogues.com

  • http://www.rosedogandco.blogspot.com.au Rosie

    Absolutely delicious Rosie. I am definitely going to find these. Love your video to :):)
    Rosie
    http://www.rosedogandco.blogspot.com.au

  • http://alwayswithyoo.blogspot.com Jane Y.

    absolutely loved this video. so very helpful to see each process! and my husband would love this and i am definitely bookmarking this to make in the near future. thanks so much!

  • http://www.thisparticular.blogspot.co.uk Ala

    I love CiderWithRosie on Youtube – my new favourite channel! x

  • http://shewearsburgundy.blogspot.co.uk Jo

    I need these in my life! Another delicious recipe. I’ll be making these for my boyfriend next week, I think, for a picnic. He’d love them! Thanks Rosie :)

    Jo xx

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