Kale and spinach recipe for holiday weekends

Holiday weekends bring with them plenty of get-togethers and opportunities to indulge, so you may be looking for a lighter meal option between feasts. Part pasty, part spanakopita, our Kale and spinach hand pies make an easy lunch or a light, yet satisfying, dinner (and are packed with healthy ingredients!). These super tasty hand pies are filled with chopped kale and spinach, onion, egg, feta cheese, and spices. Kale, in particular, is a nutritional powerhouse; with fibre, calcium and magnesium, plus vitamins A, C, and K, it’s one of those no-brainer vegetables to add to recipes, and pairs perfectly in these pies with the spinach and feta cheese. The pastry is quick to whip up in the food processor, and bakes up buttery and flakey. It can also be made ahead of time, making this an easy meal for busy weekends or school nights, and can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen for a month.

Step 1:

In a food processor, whirl cottage cheese with ONE egg yolk. Add the flour, salt, and then the butter. Pulse until the mixture becomes dough like and forms a ball. Divide the dough into two portions, and shape each into an 8-inch log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 ½ hours.

Tip: Dough can be made ahead and will keep in fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for a month.

Step 2:

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and then add chopped onion. Sprinkle with curry powder, chili flakes, and pepper, and cook until onion softens (about 2 minutes). Add the chopped kale and cook until it wilts, about 4 minutes.

Tip: baby kale is often available in the produce section, and means less work, as you don’t have to trim stems. Stir in the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Remove the spinach/kale mixture from heat and let cool. If there’s excess liquid, drain it and then stir in the beaten egg, cinnamon, and feta.

Step 3:

Preheat oven to 375F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the fridge.

Tip: let it warm up a bit before rolling. On a lightly floured surface flatten one log, then with a rolling pin, roll it into a 30-inch x 5-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the rolled out dough into five even rectangular pieces, and repeat with the second log so you have 10 pastry rectangles in total.

Step 4:

Whisk second egg yolk with 1 tbsp of water to make the egg wash. Scoop 1/3 cup (approximately) of the spinach/kale/feta mix into the centre of each pastry rectangle. Then brush the edges with the egg wash and fold over the filling so the short ends meet, creating a packet. Using fork tines, crimp the edges of each pastry pocket to seal, and then arrange the pockets (seam-side down) on the parchment, keeping the pies about an inch apart. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash, and cut 3 small slits in each top with a sharp paring knife.

Step 5:

Bake in the centre of your preheated oven until the tops and bottoms of the pies are golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Try this recipe: Kale and spinach hand pies

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp hot-red-chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 small bunch kale, stem and ribs removed, about 4 cups finely chopped
• 171 g pkg spinach, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup diced 22% feta