Puff Pastry Turnovers with Spinach, Ricotta and Feta Cheese

Savory puff pastry turnovers are delicious for lunch or a light dinner and can be served with soup or salad.

This recipe uses an easy-to-prepare filling similar to Spanakopita and store-bought puff pastry. I prefer to use fresh spinach lightly sauteed with some shallots and garlic rather than frozen spinach, but there is always that option if you prefer. The turnovers can be made in large or smaller portions and frozen and baked as needed.

INGREDIENTS

2 sheets puff pastry thawed as per package directions

1 egg lightly beaten for the egg wash

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large bag of spinach leaves or two bunches of fresh spinach stems removed

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tsp dried dill weed

Sauteed spinach

Filling ingredients

Adding grated cheese

PREPARATION

Thaw the puff pastry per the package directions and prepare the egg wash.

Heat a large saute pan over moderate heat, and add the oil and butter when heated. As the butter melts, stir in the shallot and garlic and cook without browning for a minute; add the spinach in handfuls, stirring after each addition to wilt the leaves so there is room to add more.

When all the spinach is wilted, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and feta cheese together with the dried dill. Taste and salt and pepper to your taste. Lay the thawed puff pastry on a rolling mat or kitchen counter with a light dusting of flour.

Cut the dough into the desired shapes and place a mound of the prepared filling on the lower half of each piece.

Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash, then fold the pastry over the filling to enclose it. Press around the edges with the tines of a fork to create a seal, and brush the tops of the turnovers with egg wash.

Brush with egg wash

Assembling the turnover

Ready to freeze or bake

At this point, the turnovers can be baked or frozen.

Heat the Steam oven in the combination convection steam mode at 375 F.

Arrange the turnovers on a parchment-lined shallow-rimmed baking sheet, with at least an inch between each turnover. 

Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden. Lift a corner of a turnover before removing the tray from the oven to ensure the bottom crust has cooked through. 

Makes 8 - 12 turnovers