Hello foodie friends,
A few more days and Thanksgiving is here, so I am letting you in on a little secret side dish. Greek Spinach Pie (Spanakopita) is already quite famous on its own. But mini, bite-sized, crunchy versions? Nahhhh, but they will now. heheheh these Greek Spinach Pie Bites are basically the adorable little cousins of the classic Spanakopita. Same delicious flavor, same irresistible crunch, but in a hand-held, snack-friendly size. Speaking of bites, you might also be interested in these delicious little treats https://foodzesty.com/easy-herb-cheese-bite-recipe/
I make these little bites during the holidays because they seem more festive to me. They’re perfect for parties, cozy dinners, and holiday tables. Trust me… people will grab one, nod happily, then come back for three more. Happens every. single. time. 😂. I baked them yesterday and they’re gone like magic.
Let’s start with the phyllo. I used puff pastry for this specific recipe. That flaky, buttery, crispy, golden-brown little cup filled with the spinach filling we all know. Next, the filling: we start with Spinach, of course, but all the ingredients are listed in the recipe card. Simple ingredients. Big flavor! Here’s another recipe you might like with spinach: https://foodzesty.com/spinach-fennel-feta-triangles/
Every Greek household has that one person who is the unofficial Master of Spanakopita. In my family? That’s my mom. She has this talent for folding phyllo with the confidence of someone who’s been doing it since birth. Meanwhile, I’m over here trying not to let the phyllo dry out in seconds while simultaneously shooing dogs, checking the oven, and convincing myself I don’t need another coffee. (As we say in Greek Ehhhh maaaaaa piaaaa)
Traditional Spanakopita uses feta only; I used a feta cheese that had a stronger taste of pepper, so I did not season with salt or pepper. I also added ricotta cheese for that extra ooey-gooey goodness. I ran out of soft mizithra cheese, so I substituted it with ricotta. You can also use cream cheese if you can’t find ricotta in your local market. It melts beautifully and gives the filling that “mmm wait… what is that…?”
These delicious snack-size spanakopita bites are great as Appetizers, snacks, lunch, and Holiday parties. Plussss, you can also freeze them! Make a big batch, freeze, and bake when you need them. I highly recommend them. :). So, this year, add a little bit of Greece to your Thanksgiving table.
Have a great morning/afternoon/evening, everyone!
Snack Size Spanakopitakia Bites
Equipment
- 1 sauté pan large
- 2 wooden cooking spoons
- 1 knife
- 1 small cookie cutter
- 2 silicone mini-size muffin molds
Ingredients
- 2 puff pastry sheets homemade or defrosted
- 450 grams fresh spinach washed, drained (approx. 16 oz)
- 4 fresh onions finely chopped
- 1 leek finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp breadcrumbs plain
- 250 grams feta cheese crumbled (approx. 8.5oz)
- 150 grams ricotta cheese (approx. 5.5oz)
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- ⅔ cup dill fresh
- 2 tbsp mint fresh
- salt optional
- pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190℃. Wash and drain spinach, leek, and the herbs.
- Add the avocado oil or olive oil to the sauté pan. Add the finely chopped leek, fresh onions, dill, and mint. Sauté until slightly tender and then add the spinach and finely chopped fresh onions. Continue the process.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool off for a bit before adding in the cheeses.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. I did not add any seasoning because the feta cheese had a peppery taste. Toss to combine the mixture.
- Remove puff pastry from the package. Use the small cookie cutter to cut out the pastry puffs.
- Place each dough into each muffin cup and fill with spinach mixture.
- Pop into the oven for 20 minutes until the puff pastry is ready.
KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂
