Given the choice between a big, one-plate meal (like lasagna or roast chicken), or a meal of several small dishes, I will choose the small dishes at least nine out of ten times. (That tenth time I just need roast chicken, lol.)
This month’s 5 Star Makeover theme was a fun one: Greek Meze! The idea was for everyone to choose a different Greek-themed appetizer to have a full meze platter. (I wish we all lived in the same area – wouldn’t this be an incredible potluck?) I chose to remake one of my Greek favorites: Spanakopita!
I made my version based on what I had on hand; if you have spinach or another green that you want to use instead of kale, you could give that a try. If you don’t have pine nuts on hand, it’s not a deal-breaker, but they do add fantastic flavor and a nice crunch. Lately I’ve been craving tomatoes like it’s nobody’s business, so I also made a thick homemade tomato sauce for dipping or for spooning on top of the two-bite Spanakoptia treats (it’s your call whether you want to make it or not; they were delicious without the sauce too).
All in all, these Spanakopita Puffs were addictive.
Thanks to Laz and Natasha for hosting the event!
- 1 sheet (1/2 lb) frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight
- Flour, for rolling out the pastry
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- ¾ lb kale, rinsed, tough center ribs removed, and chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried dill (or 2¼ teaspoons minced fresh dill)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 oz crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- Chunky Marinara Sauce, store-bought or homemade (I used my recipe for Chunky Pizza Sauce)
- Preheat oven to 375F. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to about a 12- by 14-inch rectangle. Make 6 cuts across the pastry the long way at equal intervals, then make 4 cuts across the pastry the short way at equal intervals (you end up with 24 pieces of dough). Press each piece into a mini muffin cup; cover the muffin tray with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolk together, then measure out 1 tablespoon to reserve for the eggwash.
- Heat the oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cook until tender and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the kale and water, cover the skillet, and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to medium, and then stir in the garlic, dill, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and cook (uncovered) until very tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Cool slightly, then stir in the eggs (except the reserved egg for eggwash) along with the feta and pine nuts.
- Fill the pastry wells with the kale mixture, using your finger to pack it down lightly. Lightly brush the dough with eggwash and bake until the pastries are puffed and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Serve hot, warm, or room temperature along with Chunky Marinara Sauce.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Barbara says
July 23, 2012 at 6:23 amAs far as I’m concerned, frozen puff pastry opens the door to adapting so many recipes, sweet and savory. What a great idea, Faith. I’ve always loved Spanakopita, rarely make my mother’s recipe because it’s somewhat time consuming, layering all the phyllo. This sidesteps all of that and retains the flavors. Bet you can freeze a bunch before baking too, then you always have them on hand for company.
Jeanette says
July 23, 2012 at 7:35 amFaith- love how cute these little puffs are, and your use of kale as well as the tomato sauce. Perfect party food.
Rosa says
July 23, 2012 at 7:55 amA great idea! Those look so cute. Great party food.
Cheers,
Rosa
girlnpurpledress says
July 23, 2012 at 9:02 amWow this looks incredibly delicious! I adore pine nuts too, they are so rich and full of flavour. I agree with Jeanette, great party food!
Vicki Bensinger says
July 23, 2012 at 10:39 amOf all the greek dishes this has always been my favorite. I love that you made these more of a hand pie to pop in your mouth. Perfect! So much better than slicing with a fork.
Norma-Platanos, Mangoes and Me! says
July 23, 2012 at 12:45 pmThese are perfect for a cocktail party. My husband’s favorite…can’t wait to try your recipe.
cheapethniceatz says
July 23, 2012 at 1:45 pmSpanakoptia is one of my faves too. In puff bite size it would be dangerous to eat the whole plate at once. Love the tomato sauce idea.
Diane says
July 23, 2012 at 2:14 pmYum Yum, they look delicious. Have a good week, Diane
BeadedTail says
July 23, 2012 at 4:27 pmI’d pick smaller meals too and anything with puff pastry is at the top of my list! These do look yummy!
Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook) says
July 23, 2012 at 5:07 pmthese are so cute and fun – perfect for entertaining!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
July 23, 2012 at 6:48 pmI love spanakopita! That’s something I need to make again soon, but I love the idea of these puffs! Yum :)
Juliana says
July 23, 2012 at 7:47 pmFaith, this are awesome…great as appetizers and pretty easy to make.
Hope you have a wonderful week ahead :)
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
July 23, 2012 at 10:51 pmThese are such a great party food!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
July 23, 2012 at 11:59 pmThis is awesome Faith! You know I love Spanakopita – what a great way to serve it (and with Kale!).
Lori Lynn says
July 24, 2012 at 9:36 amHi Faith – so much to like about this meze! Kale is a nice change from spinach, the two-bite puffs are adorable. Definitely serve with the tomato sauce, such a lovely color combination.
LL
Katerina says
July 24, 2012 at 11:22 amThis is a beautiful tweak on a classic Greek dish such Spanakopita is Faith! I would love to try your little puffs!
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) says
July 24, 2012 at 12:00 pmPretty awesome dish for putting together what you already had, Faith. I do wish I lived closer to you–I would have happily helped you eat these. :)
Trix says
July 24, 2012 at 12:55 pmI am so with you on the tomato craving!!! Want your sauce, mm. And these puffs are just adorable – I want to come to our potluck!!
Shannon says
July 24, 2012 at 1:15 pmlove the use of kale in these little bites :) and the tomato sauce was a great addition!
kellie@foodtoglow says
July 25, 2012 at 3:30 amSo cute! I make great pans of spanakopita (with whatever greens that are in season and a lot less fat) for my nutrition workshops, and we love it at home too. But it is great to see it dolled up as tapas/appetizers. Great idea using easy-as puff pastry
grace says
July 25, 2012 at 4:30 pmi feel like a broken record, but i’ll say it again–puff pastry is a magical, magical creation. :)
Tanantha says
July 25, 2012 at 6:26 pmI love that you make a cup size! It’s adorable. I’ve had this before but with spinach. Kale has more nutrition and fiber, tho!
Laz says
July 25, 2012 at 9:55 pmI too would love to sample some of the fantastic food produced by An Edible Mosaic.
Marvelous job.
angela@spinachtiger says
July 26, 2012 at 6:39 amI will also choose the meal of many small plates anytime. I love spanokpita and would eat these every day as a snack.
5 Star Foodie says
July 26, 2012 at 11:41 amSo scrumptious! I love that you used kale!
Priscilla @ShesCookin says
July 26, 2012 at 11:49 amI, too, adore small plates (and roast chicken!) and wish we all lived in the same area so we could have this party for real! Your spanakopita puffs are adorable and I love the kale twist.
Victoria says
July 26, 2012 at 12:02 pmPuff pastry is SO much easier to work with than phyllo dough. I love how bite size and easy these treats are, and using kale is a great substitute to spinach. The tomato sauce is also a great touch to brighten everything up. I wish I could party at your house, haha!
Maya@Foodiva's Kitchen says
July 29, 2012 at 2:33 amI’m with you on you tenth choice, lol! Spanakopita is something that I actually know within my limited Greek cuisine experience, and your bite-sized puffs are right up my alley!
Lucy says
July 29, 2012 at 1:03 pmI love the look of these, I can’t wait to make them for a simple but really satisfying summer dinner. Always love anything mini sized too :)
deana says
July 29, 2012 at 3:15 pmOh num, pop in your mouth spanikopita and made with kale too! Delicious dish with wonderful flavors. I’m loving the tomato sauce to compliment.
Magic of Spice says
July 30, 2012 at 4:36 pmSpanakoptia is the best! I love that you used kale, how wonderful these must taste! And the chunky tomato sauce makes these just the most perfect little bites…delicious!
Joan Nova says
July 30, 2012 at 6:03 pmFun idea to make open-faced two-bite spanokopita. Great mezze (or party) item. Everyone loves it.
Asiya @ Chocolate and Chillies says
August 5, 2012 at 3:06 pmThis looks so good…a perfect Iftari item!
Beth McKenzie Castaneda says
August 22, 2012 at 3:58 pmI truly love, love Spanikopita. Have you ever thought of submitting this recipe which is wonderful sounding, to a recipe contest? There is a terrific website called FOOD 52 which has neat recipe contests. Go there and read about their contest. I would love to see it there and I believe that this is one that would surely be a contender to make it into one of their neat recipe books.
Gwen says
November 13, 2012 at 12:36 pmI’m considering making these as part of my Thanksgiving week meal plan, but I’d like to make them a few days before I plan to serve them. How do they keep and reheat?
Thanks!
Faith says
November 13, 2012 at 1:49 pmGwen, I made them in the morning and served them in the evening one day and they were fine, but I’ve never tried making them a few days in advance. I think they’d hold up, but I haven’t tried it. To reheat them, I popped them in a 350F oven until warm (about 15 to 20 minutes). Hope you enjoy them if you give them a try!
Tara says
January 18, 2014 at 3:24 pmThese were absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe so I would have extra to freeze. There still weren’t any leftover haha.