Spinach And Feta Rugelach Recipes

RUGELACH

Steps:

• Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.
• On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges--cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

SPINACH AND FETA FRITTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the bell pepper directly on a stovetop gas burner over high heat and char on all sides, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes. (If you don't have a gas stove, do this on a baking sheet under the broiler.) Transfer the pepper to a medium bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; remove from the heat. Whisk the eggs, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the egg mixture and feta to the skillet and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the frittata is set and the top is golden, about 15 minutes.
• While the frittata is cooking, peel off the skin from the roasted red pepper with your fingers. Cut the pepper in half, discard the seeds and slice into strips. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Slide the frittata onto a serving plate and cut into wedges. Serve with the roasted pepper.

FETA-AND-SPINACH BUNS

Steps:

• For the dough: Warm the milk and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over low heat to about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees F). Remove the saucepan from the heat, and sprinkle the yeast over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the sugar over the top, and let sit without stirring until foamy, about 5 minutes. Then whisk in the butter and egg yolk.
• Whisk together the flour, remaining sugar and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Add the dough ball, turning to coat lightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, trace a circle the size of the dough ball on the plastic and note the time. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl, and knead briefly to release excess air. Re-form it into a ball, and return it to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap, and lay it on the dough. Cover the entire bowl tightly with the rest of the plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to let the dough proof.
• For the filling: Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach, and cook until it is cooked through and nearly all the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the feta, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer the filling to a medium bowl, and let cool completely. (The filling will firm up a bit, but if it's too warm, it will be difficult to form the buns.)
• To fill and form the buns: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface, and press it flat. Roll it into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border on the side opposite you. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan evenly over the filling. Starting from the side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight roll. Lightly brush the 1-inch border with water, and continue rolling to seal the roll. Fold the ends in just a bit, and if any spots look thicker than others, even out the roll with your hands.
• Cut the roll every 1 1/2 inches with a serrated knife, to make 12 buns. Place the buns cut-side down (except for the end pieces) in the prepared pan, spacing them 1 inch apart. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until the buns double in size, leaving no gaps in between, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• For the topping: Stir together the butter, dill, lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns until they're golden brown and the tops spring back when pressed lightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Spread the topping evenly over the buns, and return them to the oven until the butter is melted and the topping is fragrant, 5 minutes more. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

SPINACH AND FETA NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the noodles, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and set aside in a large bowl.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, cooking frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Mix in the scallion greens and spinach and cook until spinach is warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour into the bowl with the cooked noodles and gently mix to incorporate the spinach mixture.
• Mix the eggs, cream, sour cream, 2 cups of the feta, dill, parsley, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Pour into the bowl with the noodles and gently mix until evenly incorporated. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and remaining 1 cup feta. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden brown and the custard is set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

SPINACH-FETA CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put the spinach in a kitchen towel and wring very dry (to get about 1/2 cup dry spinach). Put the spinach into a large bowl, breaking up the clumps with your fingers. Add the cream cheese, feta, scallions, dill, Parmesan, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Mix well.
• Lightly flour your hands and work surface. Unroll the crescent dough and separate into triangles along the perforated lines. Put about a tablespoon of filling at the shortest end of a triangle, and roll. Place the roll, point-side down, on the prepared baking sheet, tucking in the ends to form a crescent shape. Repeat with the remaining triangles and filling, spacing the rolls at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• Brush the dough with the egg wash and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let the crescents cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.