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Wednesday 10 April 2013

Spinach, Feta and Potato Pies

I usually can't stop myself from paying a 'visit' if I happened to see food post of pies, or anything with potatoes or cheese!

Though by right I shouldn't take in too much of dairy products such as milk, cheese, chocolate or butter because I have allergic rhinitis and taking these dairy food would result in building up mucous.  And all these food are my favourite and how can I totally not having this or to totally cut down.

When Sonia  posted her Spinach, Feta & Potato Pies lately, I just got to try this out because I am sure I would love this very much.  But I made the cheated version ~ I used the ready made store bought crust pastry instead to make for a quicky fast lunch.


Spinach, Feta and Potato Pies
Recipe sourced from Sonia of NasiLemakLover with slight change 

For the pastry
280g plain flour, plus extra for dusting (or 140g wholemeal + 140g plain flour)
85g cold butter, diced
85g shortening
100ml milk, if needed

(For the pastry, I did not make the pastry,instead I used the store bought Crust Pastry)

For the filling
1 small US Russet potato, peeled and diced
200g spinach
100ml heavy cream  (ran out of cream ~ I used evaporated milk of 80ml)
100g feta, crumbled  (I used the Feta that brine in olive oil with herbs/dried tomato)
1 egg, beaten
100g cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated fresh nutmeg  (I did not add this as I have forgotten)

For the egg wash
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water

Method
To make the pastry
Rub the flours together with the butter and shortening until it is the texture of breadcrumbs, then work in the milk (you may not need it all) until the pastry comes together. Lightly combine the pastry until soft. Press the pastry into a flat and round disc and chill for 1hr while you make the filling.
 
Boil the potato for 10mins until cooked, then drain.
Blanch spinach in hot water, drain and squeeze out all the liquid.
Mix spinach, potato, cream, feta, egg, and 2/3 cheddar. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Divide pastry into 7 portions, roll out the pastry to appx 13cm x 13cm with appx 3mm thickness.
Spoon the spinach mix into the centre of each square and bring all four corners together over the filling, pinching the edges together to make a sealed purse with the pinched edges facing up. 
Brush each with egg wash, then top with remaining cheddar.
 
Bake at preheated oven at 200C for 30mins or until golden.

(Original recipe : Pie cookbook by Dean Brettschneider, extracted from Food and Travel Magazine)



Want to know how it taste?  It is so, so, so, so, so, DEEEEELICIOUS!!   I loves the potato and the cheese filling.

And as for the spinach, you can substitute it with chives too.


I have some left over grated cheddar cheese which I did not add finish for the topping to bake so when serve warm, I sprinkle on top again ~ taste so yummy.  I love cheddar cheese.