Spinach Walnut And Feta Parcels Food

FETA, DATE & SPINACH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Put the spinach in a pan with 2 tbsp water over a low-medium heat and cover. Stir the spinach a couple of times until wilted, about 4 mins, then drain. When cool enough to handle, firmly squeeze the excess water from the spinach with your hands, then roughly chop.
• Heat 10g of the butter and all of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium-low heat until pale and softened. Add the drained spinach and garlic, season and cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.
• Transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl, then mix in the spring onions, dates, parsley, mint, pine nuts, feta and egg. Season.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Unroll the filo pastry and cut it into strips 9-10cm wide. Melt the rest of the butter, then brush one strip with some of it before putting another strip on top and brushing that too. Keep the remaining pastry covered with a tea towel as you work. Put two heaped teaspoonfuls of the filling at the end of the strip nearest to you. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry diagonally over the filling, so that what was the bottom edge now meets the right-hand edge of the pastry. Fold over the filled triangle and keep going like this with the whole strip, brushing with butter as you go, until you have a neat triangular filo package. Repeat the process with all the pastry and filling. Brush the top of each one with butter, then put onto baking sheets. Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds and bake for 25-30 mins, or until the pastry is golden brown.

CHEESY SPINACH PARCELS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Place spinach in a pan and stir over a high heat until wilted. Strain, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then roughly chop.
• Heat oil in a frying pan, sauté shallot until softened. Add walnuts, then fry for 2-3 mins. Remove from heat, stir in spinach, cheese, nutmeg, cream and seasoning.
• Mix walnut oil with butter. Brush a thin coating on a piece of pastry. Place another piece on top with corners at a different angle, brush with the butter and repeat with one more piece. Place a spoonful of spinach mix in the centre, bring up corners of pastry and pinch in the middle to form a parcel. Repeat to make remaining parcels, then transfer to a greased baking tray. Brush parcels with remaining butter and oil. Bake for 20 mins until golden.

SPINACH AND FETA PHYLLO PARCELS

Steps:

• Squeeze spinach dry.
• Combine spinach, cottage and feta cheeses, pine nuts, egg, garlic and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix well.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• To make each 'parcel', place a sheet of phyllo on a flat surface.
• Brush with melted butter, Top with another sheet of phyllo, brush again with melted butter, then fold in half to make a rectangle.
• Spoon spinach mixture along one narrow end of the pastry.
• Fold edges in and roll up to encase filling.
• Place parcels on an oven tray brushed with butter.
• Brush parcels with remaining butter.
• Bake at 190°C for 12-15 minutes until golden.