Go Back

Christmas Spinach Nests

Servings 8 People

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