A cute twist on traditional cheese and spinach pockets! The beauty of these Ricotta and Spinach Puff Pastry Bites is that you get so much more out of just one sheet of puff pastry because there’s a higher filling to pastry ratio!
I am addicted to cheese and spinach triangles. For Friday nights in, I’ve been known to head to the supermarket to pick up microwave popcorn and frozen cheese and spinach triangles. Choose a chick flick, open a bottle of wine, and I’m good to go.
Ahhh. My idea of a perfect Friday night. Never in a million years would I have written that 10 years ago.
I really want to say that since I’ve started blogging, I’ve never bought microwave popcorn or frozen triangles. But that would be a blatant lie. There are just some days when I can’t muster up the enthusiasm to cook. Sometimes I wonder how it is that I can cook all day and yet have nothing to eat that night. Well actually, I do. I give away a lot of food. And sometimes I give away what I should be having for dinner myself!
So yes, I eat take out – very rarely, because I grew up believing take out is bad and I can’t shake that. More likely is that I pick up frozen savoury pastries or samosas, or something like that. I have it in my irrational mind that because I have to bake them, they are half home-made. 🙂
Weird that I’m admitting to you that I love frozen triangles when I’m sharing a recipe for puffs! So blowing right past that awkward realisation…..
I like these because they are shaped differently to the usual cheese and spinach triangles you commonly see. And not only that, you get more out of one sheet of pastry because there’s a higher “filling to pastry” ratio. You get 9 of these puffs out of each sheet of puff pastry, whereas I get 4 if I make triangles for around the same amount of filling.
I wasn’t going to share these, I thought they were too boring. But when I gave a stash of them to a friend recently, she instantly wanted to know how I made them into that shape. So here’s the recipe. 🙂
– Nagi
- 1 egg
- 7 oz / 200g ricotta (preferably full fat but low fat also works) (Note 1)
- 8 oz / 250g frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed of excess water
- 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (or tasty or gruyere or any other melting cheese with flavour)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 2 sheets puff pastry (25cm/10" square), defrosted
- 1 egg , lightly beaten (egg wash)
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Spray 2 standard muffin / cupcake tins with oil.
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Place egg in a bowl and lightly whisk. Add remaining Filling ingredients and mix to combine. Taste and adjust salt to taste.
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Cut each pastry into 9 equal pieces (18 in total). You probably won't use 3 pieces.
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Mould 15 pieces of pastry into the muffin tins.
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Divide the Filling between each, then bring the four corners into the centre and press down to stick together. Don't overfill otherwise you won't be able to seal the pastries or they will burst open when baking (which regularly happens with mine).
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Brush with egg wash, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown.
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Allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing.
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Serve warm or cool.
1. You can use feta instead of ricotta if you prefer. Don't add any salt though, otherwise it will be too salty.
2. Nutrition per piece. I was pleasantly surprised with how low cal they are...until I realised I can inhale 6 in the blink of an eye.
Hi I was just wondering that if i make the the filling a day in advance, would I have to put it in the fridge or could I just leave it out in a container?
Since the filling contains egg and cheese, I would put it in the fridge.
Love this idea. Thank you! Only question is you stated to use 15 of the pastry cuts? My muffin tin has 12? Also do I just use 1 pastry cut out to mould into the muffin tray?
Mine only has 12 as well, but you could make just 12 extra stuffed ones if that’s easier!
These look perfect for my retreat lunch! I’m so excited to make them.
How long should I plan on having them in the oven if I’m making them two days ahead and then baking from frozen? Alternately, will they survive being baked the night before and then reheated day of?
Hi Diana! Absolutely they survive great reheated the next day! Otherwise I’m guessing 30 minutes from frozen raw 🙂 N x
Can they be par Cooked and then placed into the freezer?
Hi Fiona! I would freeze them raw then cook from frozen 🙂 N x
Easy & delicious. Thanks for sharing
So glad you enjoyed this Jude! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
20 minutes and my pastries still look so pale! Anybody else had this problem??
Mine took 35 minutes. They were well worth the wait! I used gruyere. I also used a 10 oz package of spinach, and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly. That way I used the all the spinach and all the pastry.
Glad you enjoyed it Kristy, thanks for letting me know! N x
I changed the temp to 375
What size muffin pan should I use?
Standard!
Oh my goodness, these are fun, delicious, easy and pretty! I added a little Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic. Yum! I just need something small to take to a dinner party. I think they are going to make a big hit!
That’s so great to hear Angela! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know! N x
I love the combo of spinach with Feta cheese — would feta make the filling be too dry?
Love the easier way to assemble instead of all the folding for triangles.
Can’t wait to make these!
Thanks!
I think it will be a tad strong in flavour, try half ricotta half feta! 🙂 N x
Can these be pre-made and then frozen ahead of time to cook at a later date for a party?
Yep! Thawed then refrozen raw puff pastry won’t puff up quite as much but the difference is very small. I don’t notice it myself unless I line them up next to each other! N xx
Can I use fresh spinach as opposed to frozen spinach? I have fresh spinach… Should i pop it on the freeze prior to cooking or does it make no difference?
Thank you in advance 🙂
Gosh yes! Just finely chop it into shreds then saute or even steam lightly to wilt it right down 🙂 Then use per recipe, no need to freeze! N x
Thank you 😀 I made them this afternoon, absolutely delicious!!! May have inhaled 4 almost immediately… too good to resist!! ^.^
High praise!!! So pleased you enjoyed this Tenille, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Thank you for asking this question as I was wondering the same thing.
And Nagi, Origarto for such yummy and food ideas.
The recipe sounds great and will try it this week but have you tried it in smaller pans or mini muffin tins to add to my antipasto platter. Please let know soon
Not yet but no reason why it wouldn’t work!