Directions
Benny’s Spinach Pies
Details
- Prep Time:
30 min - Cook Time:
12 min - Ready Time:
42 min
Servings
Ingredients
- one ball of bread dough you can use frozen pizza dough or make any kind of standard bread recipe
Spinach Filling
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen spinach
- one large onion
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 3/4 cup light cream cheese
- tablespoon hot pepper powder and squeeze of lemon juice optional
- beaten egg yolk with a little water for egg wash
Directions
Start by making the spinach filling. In a hot pan with olive oil start by sweating the onions and garlic for a few min with a little kosher salt. Now add the spinach and let it wilt about 5 min. Now let some of the water start to come out and evaporate, now add the cream cheese and let melt into the spinach. Add the hot pepper powder now if you are going to use it. Cook at medium low heat stirring every so often for about 15-20 min until the spinach and cheese are becoming one as you can see in my photo, check for seasoning. There should be no liquid just some nice spinach/cream cheese putty. Set aside and let cool, I put the bowl in a sink of cold water as you want this filling at least room temp before using it.
Roll out your dough so its about an 8th of an inch thick and find a ring mold or a small plate that can make about a 4 inch round circle (see photo) Get your egg wash ready by combining one egg yolk and a little water and beating together.
Now to assemble take enough of the filing to take up about a third of the dough as you can see in the photo. Now fold over like your making a half moon and now using a fork press down to seal the edges and place on a olive oiled baking sheet. Finish by brushing the dough with the egg wash and you can drop a few sesame seeds on for a nice look.
Now there are two ways to cook these:
Bake at 350 degrees until they are golden brown, take out and let cool on a rack. These are best room temp.
Fry in 375 degree oil (don’t egg wash if you are going to fry them) until golden brown. Drain and serve asap as these are best served crisp and hot. If you let them cool pop them into a 375 degree oven to warm and crisp up.
That’s it kids now go make a bunch for your friends!
Benny
