Description
Buttery spinach puffs with feta and bacon invite culinary adventurers into a world of crisp, flaky pastry filled with savory Mediterranean-inspired goodness. Delicate layers of puff pastry cradle a rich blend of salty bacon, creamy feta, and tender spinach that leave you craving another bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped and packed
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
Cheese and Dairy:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 0.75 cup (170 grams) crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons bacon bits
- 0.5 teaspoon dried dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 400°F and coat a muffin pan with non-stick spray, preparing 9 designated cups for the pastry pockets.
- Gently soften cream cheese in short microwave bursts, creating a silky base by whisking it with egg, olive oil, and fragrant dill until completely smooth.
- Combine chopped spinach, crumbled feta, and crispy bacon pieces in a separate mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Drizzle the cream cheese mixture over the spinach blend, seasoning with salt and pepper, then fold together using a fork to create a harmonious filling.
- Unroll puff pastry and slice into precise 9 squares, carefully nestling each piece into the prepared muffin cavities, pressing gently to conform to the pan’s shape.
- Generously spoon the spinach-cheese mixture into each pastry-lined cup, then elegantly gather and pinch the four pastry corners to create a sealed parcel.
- Brush the tops with melted butter, enhancing golden potential and adding rich flavor to the delicate puffs.
- Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry achieves a deep golden-brown color and achieves a delightfully puffy texture.
- Allow the puffs to rest and cool for 10 minutes before carefully extracting from the muffin pan, letting them settle and set.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese is just softened, not fully melted, for the perfect texture and easy mixing.
- Crumble bacon finely to distribute evenly throughout the spinach mixture, creating a balanced flavor in every bite.
- For a vegetarian version, replace bacon with toasted pine nuts or caramelized onions to maintain the rich, savory profile.
- Work quickly with puff pastry to keep it cold and prevent it from becoming too soft, which can affect the final flaky texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 45mg