Spice up your party with these crispy and flaky Cheesy Broccoli And Spinach Puffs! They are super easy to make and a great way to eat broccoli without even noticing it.
Remember these crispy and crunchy hors d’oeuvres from your local pastry shop. Savory or sweet fillings wrapped in flaky pastry that are later baked to perfection – utterly delicious! So today’s recipe cheesy broccoli and spinach puffs, is the same savory treat made with puff pastry.
Crispy puff pastry stuffed with broccoli and spinach mixture is an incredibly yum and delectable pastries – a perfect finger food for a party and seriously delicious. You can’t go wrong with this combination.
This happens to be my favorite recipe for two reasons – firstly, they make a great make-ahead appetizer and secondly, even the picky eaters will eat broccoli and spinach without a fuss!
This recipe uses puff pastry sheets. Puff pastry can be found in your freezer section next to pies or frozen treats. Puff pastry sheets is not to be mistaken for phyllo/filo sheets. They are both different.
In puff pastry sheets, fat is layered in between the sheets of dough which puffs and becomes flaky during baking. On the other hand, phyllo/filo sheets doesn’t have much fat and it’s sheets are very thin which do become flaky during baking but do not puffs. But filo/phyllo sheets CAN BE USED instead of puff pastry sheets in this recipe.
Have you worked with puff pastry sheets before then you know the tricks on how to handle it? If not, no worries follow these tips below –
- Thaw the sheets ahead of time.
- Flatten the sheets using a rolling pin. If the sheets feel sticky, dust the top of the sheet with a little flour and start rolling.
- Do not overfill or stretch the sheets. This will lead to holes and the puffs will open during baking.
- Seal and secure the edges perfectly and bake.
- These puff pastry puffs can be made in advance. Stuff and seal puffs, cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, brush with butter and bake as directed.
I had a bag of spinach and frozen broccoli sitting in my refrigerator, so I used this combination. But there are a lot of yummy variations that you can try –
- Potato and pea filling
- Corn and black bean filling
- Tomato and basil filling with cheese
- Meat lovers substitute veggies with meat.
Basically if you have puff pastry and any of the above ingredients on hand, then you can make this appetizer in a jiffy. Make sure the filling is completely cool before you add cheese or else the mixture will become gooey.
Can be served with a salad, as an accompaniment to a soup or as an appetizer for a light dinner. Try these cheesy broccoli and spinach puffs and they will immediately become your family favorites too!
Cheesy Broccoli And Spinach Puffs
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PASTRY
- 1 packet (17.3 oz) Puff pastry sheets (thawed)
- 2 teaspoon Water to seal the edges
- 1 teaspoon Butter for brushing the top (can use egg wash too)
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 small Finely Chopped onion
- 1 cup Frozen Brocooli florets ( 1 fresh broccoli floret)
- 1.5 cup Chopped Spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon Coarsely crushed black peppercorns
- 2-3 teaspoon Red chili sauce (adjust according to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic salt or Curshed garlic
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Parsley Leaves
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups Low Fat Shredded cheese
- 2 tablespoon Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARING THE FILLING
- Assemble ingredients for the filling.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and broccoli. Saute until onions are translucent. If using fresh broccoli florets, cook that in oil first. When broccoli is tender, add onions and cook until onions are translucent.
- Mix in all the spices.
- Add salt.
- Pour in chili paste.
- And mix until well blended. Adjust seasonings and take it off the flame.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely. Add shredded cheese and mix well.
- Make sure the mixture is completely cooled before adding cheese or else it will turn into a gooey mess. Set it aside.
MAKING OF PUFFS
- Thaw pastry sheets. (see tips above)
- Unwrap and spread out the puff pastry sheet so that it is flat on the counter.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry sheet until it is bigger in size, smooth and even. If the sheet feels sticky, dust the top of the sheet with a little flour and start rolling.
- Preheat oven at 350 degree F. Using a pizza cutter, cut squares out of the puff pastry sheet.
- Take one square. Place the filling in the center.
- Apply water on the edges of the square. (see tips above)
- Fold the top corner over the filling. It will look like a triangle.
- Press the triangle gently to release any trapped air. Finally use a fork and crimp all the corners together.
- Repeat the process with rest of the triangles. Arrange triangles on a baking tray. These puff pastry puffs can be made in advance. Complete the process to this point, cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake....
- Brush with butter or egg wash and bake for 30 minutes or until the turnovers turn golden brown in color. Remember to turn them half way during baking.
- Other way would be to make round pies out of these pastry sheets. Cut rounds and stuff the sheets as shown above.
- Secure the edges.
- Brush with butter or egg wash and bake for 30 minutes or until the puffs turn golden brown in color. Remember to turn them half way during baking.
- Perfectly baked puffs.
- Allow the puffs to cool on the baking sheets for 4 to 5 minutes before transferring them on to plate.
- Some may stick to the sheet. No worries, carefully run a butter knife under and across the puffs and they will loosen.
- Serve with your favorite chutney or hot sauce and enjoy!
Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided below is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. Please refer to a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionists if you have any health issues. |
