Saturday, February 23, 2019

Kronk's Spinach Puffs by Rosanna Pansino

I love Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, and I love the character Kronk. Early in the movie, muscular, good-natured Kronk makes spinach puffs for dinner, and as I love spinach, I've always thought they sounded so yummy. Nerdie Nummies creator, Rosanna Pansino, has shared her easy and tasty recipe for Kronk's Spinach Puffs on Youtube and on Rosanna's site. I've written out the recipe below, though the directions are in my words, typed out while listening to her Youtube video:
Kronk’s Spinach Puffs
NERDY NUMMIES – Rosanna Pansino (link to her original directions)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box puff pastry sheets (defrosted for a few hours from freezer)
1 (3- to 4-inch-square) cookie cutter
Egg wash (1 egg mixed with a little bit of salt)

Over medium-high heat in a large pan, add oil and wait for it to heat and shimmer. Add onions and let them sweat for 3-5 minutes until they are translucent (meaning kind of see-through, but not brown). Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant then add frozen chopped spinach and salt. Cook until liquid is gone. Turn off heat and remove from stove. Set aside.

In medium mixing bowl, combine cheeses and egg yolk, mixing with rubber spatula or spoon. Add spinach mixture and mix to combine. Set aside.

On lightly floured cutting board or other surface, lay down one large square of puff pastry and give it a gentle roll with the rolling pin just to smooth out the folds. Cut out 9 squares with cookie cutter, then repeat with other puff pastry sheet, making 18 squares total. Remove excess dough from around squares.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and place 8-9 pastry squares on each. Turn squares so they look like diamonds. Brush off excess flour. Place about 1 Tbsp spinach mixture in rough oval-shape in center of each diamond, not letting mixture touch edges. Brush a little egg wash on two lowest edges of pastry and bring them together, pressing hard to seal lower edges, leaving upper edges open and mixture exposed at the top. Should make a rough "cone" shape. Pop pan in freezer for about 10 minutes because puff pastry cooks best from a cold state.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15-17 minutes till golden. If baking two sheets at the same time, switch sheet positions halfway through baking (so after 7-8 minutes). ENJOY!