Spinach Madeleine Tart With Cheesy Pastry Recipes

SPINACH MADELEINE TART WITH CHEESY PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unravel the pastry on a lightly floured work surface, and sprinkle the 2 tbsp of hard cheese over one half of the pastry along with ½ tsp cayenne and a crack of black pepper. Fold the other half of the pastry over to close it like a book, and roll out, squashing the cheese in the middle, until it fits into a 22cm tart tin with an overhang. Prick the base with a fork, cover with a sheet of parchment and fill with baking beans. Cook for 15 mins, then remove the parchment and beans. Bake for 10-15 mins until lightly golden, then leave to cool in the tin.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Spoon small piles of the remaining hard cheese (about 16) in a thin layer onto the sheet, then bake for 5-7 mins until bubbling and melted. As soon as they look lacy, remove from the oven or they will burn quite quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp up. Will keep in an airtight container for two days.
• Put the spinach in a sieve over a clean bowl, and squeeze well with the back of a spoon. Keep the liquid.
• Heat the butter in a heavy-based pan and fry the shallots with a pinch of salt for 10 mins. Stir in the garlic, thyme and 2 tbsp flour, then pour in 250ml of the spinach water, boiling for 1-2 mins. Stir in the mascarpone, nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne, and cook for 5 mins.
• Fold through the cheddar and spinach, tip into a bowl and leave to cool for 5-10 mins. Stir in the eggs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tart case, then pour in the filling. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden. Leave to cool a little before topping with thyme and the cheesy crisps.

SPINACH MADELEINE

Steps:

• Cook spinach according to directions on package. Drain and reserve liquid. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown. Add onion and cook until soft but not brown. Add evaporated milk and reserved spinach liquid slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and thick; continue stirring. Add the cheese, Worcestershire, black pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, red pepper, and salt, to taste. Stir until melted. Combine with cooked spinach. This may be served immediately or put into a casserole and topped with buttered bread crumbs. This flavor is improved if the latter is done and kept in the refrigerator overnight. This may also be frozen.

CHEESY SPINACH PUFF PASTRY BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Set the bacon aside.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in the garlic. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper and set aside.
• Stir 1 egg, the cream cheese, Parmesan, feta and chives together in a large bowl. Stir in the spinach mixture and the bacon. Set aside.
• Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pastry with a rolling pin to smooth out any creases. Cut into 4-inch pieces; you should get about 9 squares. Place the squares on the prepared baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg together with a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush two adjacent sides of each square with the egg wash. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of the square. Fold the dough over the filling, forming a triangle, and crimp the edges together. Place the bites in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the fridge and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Bake until golden brown and puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before eating.