Golden bites with creamy spinach, cheddar filling and fresh basil garnish, perfect for festive gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Filling
01 - 3.5 oz fresh spinach, chopped
02 - 4.4 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2.1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
04 - 1 garlic clove, minced
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
06 - 1/8 tsp black pepper
→ Pastry
07 - 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (about 8.8 oz)
08 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
→ Decoration
09 - 24 small fresh basil leaves
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a pan over medium heat, wilt the chopped spinach for 1 minute. Squeeze out excess moisture and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a mixing bowl, blend the wilted spinach, softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
04 - Unroll the puff pastry sheet and cut into 24 equal squares, approximately 2 x 2 inches each.
05 - Place one heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square. Bring the four corners together towards the center, pinching to seal and form a four-leaf clover shape.
06 - Brush the tops of each pastry bite with the beaten egg to encourage browning.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed.
08 - Remove from oven and immediately top each pastry bite with a fresh basil leaf to mimic a clover. Let cool slightly before serving.
