Spinach pie is a favourite in our home. I was on starter duty for Christmas lunch at my brother Russell’s and his lovely wife Jaclyn’s home this year. I decided these Christmas Spinach nests would be a perfect pre lunch snack and I wasn’t wrong. When I make my spinach pie everyone wants the corner pieces. With this starter everyone gets the crispy, crusty, texture of the phyllo with every bite of these Christmas Spinach Nests
I decided to do spinach balls and sprinkle thinly sliced phyllo pastry on top. I’ve made it a few times for friends too and they always get rave reviews. They are easy to prepare and they can be frozen and finished off in the oven when ready to serve. See how to prepare spinach or follow the microwave instructions.
Christmas Spinach Nests
Ingredients
- 600 g spinach washed and chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 tbls olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 100 g goats cheese
- 2 rounds feta cheese
- 4 tbls almond flour
- Zest of lemon
- Squeeze of lemon juice to taste
- 2 tbls chopped pine nuts
- A few sprays of olive oil
- Half way through baking add
- 12-16 chopped sage leaves cooked in 2 tablespoons of melted brown butter
- Phyllo nests
- 1/2 a log of phyllo pastry sliced into thin strips. Sprinkle with 1 tbls melted butter and fluff up to separate the strands.
- Garnish
- Grated Parmesan cubed tomatoes, lettuce and slivers of cucumber and a wedge of lemon. Drizzle with balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Oven on 180°C
- Put 200g spinach in microwave and cook on high for 3 min repeat with remaining 2 bags. Alternatively follow my method of preparing spinach see link 🔗 above
- In a pan add oil and fry shallots until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and stir through
- Remove from heat
- Squeeze out the moisture from the spinach and chop finely
- Add to shallots stirring to combine
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mash through the cheeses. Taste add a few grinds of pepper. There is no need to add salt as the feta cheese is quite salty. But check for your palate
- Shape into about 24 balls
- Place on baking tray lined with baking paper. Spritz with oil and bake for 25 minutes
- At 15 minutes spoon over the sage butter. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C and add the phyllo nests on top of the balls sprinkled over to create a nest over each ball.
- Bake until golden for a further 10 minutes
- Garnish and serve warm