Description
- Delicious, easy-to-make Ricotta and Spinach Puff Pastry Bites with a buttery, flaky crust and a creamy, savory filling. A perfect, crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling:
- 1 egg
- 200g (7 oz) ricotta (full-fat or low-fat)
- 250g (8 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- ¾ cup grated cheddar (or other melting cheese)
- ¾ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste Pastry:
- 2 sheets puff pastry (25 cm / 10″ square), defrosted
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Tins: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Lightly spray two standard muffin or cupcake tins with oil.
- Make the Filling: Whisk the egg in a bowl. Add ricotta, spinach, cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Adjust salt to taste.
- Prepare the Pastry: Cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 equal squares (18 total).
- Assemble the Bites: Press 15 pastry squares into the muffin tins. Spoon the filling evenly into each pastry cup.
- Bake: Bring the four corners of each pastry square to the center and press to seal. Don’t overfill or they may burst open during baking. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve: Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from tins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Spinach Prep: The most important step! Squeeze all the water out of the thawed spinach to prevent a soggy filling and pastry.
- Cheese Choice: You can use a variety of melting cheeses like Gruyère, Gouda, or even mozzarella for a different flavor profile.
- Not Overfilling: Be careful not to overfill the pastry squares, as the filling can leak out and make them hard to remove from the tins.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the bites and store them in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking. For longer, freeze them uncooked.
- Ricotta Substitute: You can substitute feta cheese for ricotta. If you use feta, skip the added salt as feta is already very salty.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking, Mixing, Folding
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~120 g
- Calories: ~400 kcal
- Sugar: ~4 g
- Sodium: ~500 mg
- Fat: ~22 g
- Saturated Fat: ~10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: Majority of remaining fat
- Trans Fat: ~0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~35 g
- Fiber: ~2 g
- Protein: ~10 g
- Cholesterol: ~80 mg
Keywords: Ricotta Spinach Bites, Puff Pastry Bites, Spinach Bites, Party Appetizer, Easy Appetizer, Cheese Bites, Quick Snack, Vegetarian Appetizer, Flaky Pastry, Savory Bites