Spanakopita Crackers
Submitted by Macae
Bite-sized phyllo crackers filled with spinach, goat cheese, shallots, and nutmeg, shaped like Christmas crackers and baked golden. A festive holiday appetizer you can make ahead.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsAll the flavors of spanakopita, wrapped into adorable little Christmas cracker shapes.
These bite-sized phyllo parcels are stuffed with a savory filling of spinach, crumbled goat cheese, shallots, and a whisper of nutmeg and cayenne. They’re rolled, shaped, and baked until the pastry turns shatteringly crisp and golden.
The best part? You can assemble them hours ahead and just pop them in the oven when guests arrive. Tie them with fresh chives for a presentation that looks like it took way more effort than it did.
Pro Tips
- Squeeze every last drop of moisture from the frozen spinach using a clean kitchen towel. Wet spinach will make the phyllo soggy.
- Keep the unused phyllo sheets under a damp cloth while you work. They dry out in minutes.
- Don’t roll too tightly. A loose roll lets steam escape and keeps the pastry flaky rather than dense.
- These freeze beautifully unbaked. Go straight from freezer to oven, adding a couple extra minutes to the bake time.
Ingredients
Directions
These spinach and cheese filled crackers can be made ahead, ready to pop into the oven at show time.
For an even more artistic presentation, tie up with chives.
The phyllo dough can be cut on the diagonal and the edges ruffled up.
In non-stick skillet, melt butter; cook shallots over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened.
Press out excess liquid from spinach and chop finely.
Add to skillet; cook, stirring, over medium heat just until moistened.
Stir in nutmet, cayenne pepper and pepper.
Transfer to bowl; let cool.
Mix in cheese; season with salt to taste.
Press mixture into tiny log shapes.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on work surface, keeping remaining sheets covered with a damp cloth.
Brush 1 half of pastry from 1 short end to centre with butter.
Fold over, aligning short ends.
Cut pastry in half crosswise to make 2 pieces.
About ½-inch in from long edges on each piece of pastry, place 2 log-shaped mounds of filling.
Roll up each piece loosely from short edge to enclose mounds completely.
Cut pastry between the 2 mounds to separate into 2.
With fingertips, gently press pastry together at each end of mount to form Christmas cracker shape.
Repeat with remaining filling and pastry.
Place on nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
Brush with butter.
Bake in 375℉ (190℃) F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until pastry is golden.
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