Spinach and Cheese Hand Pies Are Savory Pop Tarts

When it comes to quick recipes, store-bought pie dough beats everything. (This isn't just for pies, by the way!) With the help of prepared dough, these spinach and cheese pies are prepared in just 30 minutes. Daniel Oron, author of Modern Israeli Cuisine, has prepared these portable breakfast cakes that will appeal to both children and adults alike. These spinach and feta power pies are perfect to make-ahead of breakfast, easily frozen and baked whenever your heart desires. Feta and spinach seemed like the right combination for Oron, since they reminded her so much of puff pastry and cheese burekas with spinach. Spinach and cheese pies with your own hands Excerpt from Daniel Oron's book "Modern Israeli Cuisine: 100 New recipes for Traditional Classics". Published by Page Street Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cover the bowl with a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the spinach and stir frequently until it wilts. This should take about 5 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a sieve, let it drain and cool to room temperature.Using cheesecloth, squeeze out as much of the spinach liquid as possible and set aside.Preheat the oven to 425F. Prepare 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper. Whisk the egg with a little water in a small bowl to wash it.Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll them out a little until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Cut them into 4-by-3-inch rectangles. Place the bottom rectangles of each pie on 2 prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each one with 1 ½ tablespoons of spinach and ½ tablespoon of chopped feta cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick rim around the edges. Brush all 4 edges of each pie with the egg mixture. Top with another rectangle of cake, pressing tightly around the edges. Fry the edges, pressing them down with a fork. Make several holes in the top of each pie. Brush them with egg, washed, sprinkle with regular and black sesame seeds and sea salt Maldon.At this point, you can wrap and freeze the baking sheets until you want to bake the pies. Otherwise, bake for 12-14 minutes, until they are golden brown and flaky. If you bake with frozen food, it can take up to 18 minutes.