Sunflower Spinach Pie Food

SUNFLOWER SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Combine 7 rolls and roll into a 12-inch circle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover both circles with plastic wrap and let rest. Boil spinach for one minute and drain well. Pat dry as much as possible. Mix dry spinach with ricotta cheese. Add 1 egg, cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Remove wrap from dough and place one circle on a sprayed 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs on the dough (helpful hint: only place bread crumbs in the areas where the spinach mixture will be) to absorb excess moisture. Place a large dollop (about 3/4 cup) of the spinach filling in the middle of the circle and spread the remainder in a ring about 1 inch from the edge of the circle and not touching the middle dollop. Lightly brush the edge of the dough with water to help seal the pie. Also lightly brush the dough around the mound of filling with water. Place the second circle of dough over the spinach filling. Arrange it so the edges of the dough meet. Press the edges together with a fork all the way around. Place a bowl carefully over the dough covered spinach mound in the center of the circle and gently but firmly press down to seal the dough. Leave bowl in place and using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife cut the pie in 20-24 slices from the bowl to the edge. Twist each slice so the spinach shows. Remove the bowl.Mix the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over all of the dough. Sprinkle the center with sesame seeds. Bake at 350°F 25-30 minutes or until dough is a deep golden brown.

SUNFLOWER SPINACH PIE RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Combine 7 rolls and roll into a 12-inch circle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover both circles with plastic wrap and let rest. Boil spinach for one minute and drain well. Pat dry as much as possible. Mix dry spinach with ricotta cheese. Add 1 egg, cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Remove wrap from dough and place one circle on a sprayed 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs on the dough (helpful hint: only place bread crumbs in the areas where the spinach mixture will be) to absorb excess moisture. Place a large dollop (about 3/4 cup) of the spinach filling in the middle of the circle and spread the remainder in a ring about 1 inch from the edge of the circle and not touching the middle dollop. Lightly brush the edge of the dough with water to help seal the pie. Also lightly brush the dough around the mound of filling with water. Place the second circle of dough over the spinach filling. Arrange it so the edges of the dough meet. Press the edges together with a fork all the way around. Place a bowl carefully over the dough covered spinach mound in the center of the circle and gently but firmly press down to seal the dough. Leave bowl in place and using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife cut the pie in 20-24 slices from the bowl to the edgel. Twist each slice so the spinach shows. Remove the bowl. Mix the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over all of the dough. Sprinkle the center with sesame seeds. Bake at 350°F 25-30 minutes or until dough is a deep golden brown.

SPINACH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saute pan on medium heat, saute the onions with the olive oil until translucent and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly. Squeeze out and discard as much of the liquid from the spinach as possible. Put the spinach into a bowl and then gently mix in the onions, eggs, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, feta, and pignoli. Butter an ovenproof, nonstick, 8-inch saute pan and line it with 6 stacked sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with melted butter and letting the edges hang over the pan. Pour the spinach mixture into the middle of the phyllo and neatly fold the edges up and over the top to seal in the filling. Brush the top well with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

SUNFLOWER ROASTED VEGETABLE PITHIVIER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the middle position.
• Place the butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with the olive oil and spread out into a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Place the red and yellow pepper halves cut-side down on another rimmed baking sheet.
• Place both baking sheets on the middle rack and roast until the squash has softened and browned and the peppers have charred, about 25 minutes. Set the vegetables aside. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Slice the peppers into 1/2-inch strips, season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft and browned and any liquid is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sage and thyme, season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Set the mushroom mixture aside to cool.
• Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Place the spinach in a colander in the sink and pour the boiling water over the leaves to wilt them. Shake the colander to drain the water, then lay the spinach on paper towels and pat dry, removing as much of the remaining water as possible. Set the spinach aside.
• To make the base for the pithivier, lay 1 sheet of the puff pastry on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper set on a baking sheet. Using an upside-down bowl with a 10-inch-wide rim as a guide, cut out a 10-inch circle from the pastry using a sharp knife. Gather the scraps and set aside for another use (see Cook's Note).
• Spread the cooled mushroom mixture over the puff pastry base, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Arrange the cooled butternut squash cubes on top of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the squash, then top with the reserved spinach and roasted pepper strips. Wet your hands and gently mold the filling into a dome shape, then set aside.
• To make the puff pastry top, lay another sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Using an upside-down bowl with a 12-inch-wide rim as a guide, cut out a 12-inch circle from the pastry using a sharp knife. Gather the scraps and add to the existing scraps.
• Whisk together the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash around the border of the 10-inch pithivier base. Gently lay the 12-inch circle over the base so that it completely covers the filling. Press down all around the edges of the pithivier to seal the filling inside, making sure to press out any air bubbles as you go. Don't worry if the base is no longer a perfect circle. You will trim it later. Egg wash the entire top of the pithivier and set aside.
• Cut the remaining sheet of puff pastry in half lengthwise so that you have two pieces, each approximately 6 by 15 inches. Set 1 piece aside. Firmly roll a lattice roller lengthwise down the other piece. Repeat until the entire piece has been cut with the lattice.
• Use your fingers to gently pull the lattice apart, starting from the middle of the lattice and working your way out. As you work, use a sharp knife to open up any sections where the cutter did not go all the way through the lattice. Gently drape the lattice over the pithivier, then use your hands to smooth it into shape, ensuring that the entire top is covered.
• Place the 10-inch-wide bowl used earlier over the pithivier and use a sharp knife to trim the base into a neat 10-inch circle. Add any dough scraps to the existing scraps. Use the back of the knife to make 1/2-inch-deep vertical indentations around the base. Evenly egg wash the entire surface of the pithivier, being careful not to let the egg wash pool in the lattice as that will create uneven browning.
• Stir together the turmeric and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until completely combined. Lay the remaining 6-by-15-inch piece of pastry on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper and roll out the pastry as thinly as possible. (That will help ensure that the petals do not puff up and distort in the oven.) Using a small pastry brush, brush the top of the sheet with the turmeric mixture. Don't worry if the mixture seems to go on a bit unevenly. The variegated shades of yellow will look lovely once you begin to make the flowers.
• Using a 1 1/2-inch and 1-inch petal cutter, cut petals from the sheet of pastry. The number of petals you cut depends on how many flowers you want to make (and what size you'd like them to be). To create the 4 large flowers and 6 small flowers shown in the picture, you will need to cut sixty-six 1-inch petals and forty-four 1 1/2-inch petals.
• To assemble a flower, dab a small amount of egg wash on the lattice. Place 6 petals in a circle, ensuring that the top of the petals meet in the center. Place another dab of egg wash in the center of the flower and add a second layer of 5 petals, offsetting each slightly from the one below it. Place another dab of egg wash in the center and attach a mushroom cap (see Cook's Note). Press firmly to adhere the cap to the petals. Transfer the finished pithivier to the freezer for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
• When you are ready to bake the pithivier, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
• Bake the pithivier until golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

CRISPY GREEK-STYLE PIE

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.

SPICED LENTIL & SPINACH PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wide-based pan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring, until softened. Mix in the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 1 min more. Tip in the lentils, pour over the vegetable stock, season and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender.
• Meanwhile, heat half the butter in a large pan, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Season, then drain. Stir the spinach through the lentils with the lemon zest and juice and coriander, then leave to cool.
• Mix together all the ingredients for the egg wash. Assemble the pies as directed in the pastry recipe, adding a spoonful of chutney to the middle of each. Glaze with the spiced egg wash before baking.