Spinach and cheese puff pastry Christmas tree
- 2 large sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed (approximately 375g) such as ‘Careme All Butter Puff Pastry’
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 250g frozen spinach, thawed, excess liquid removed
- 375g ricotta
- ¼ cup (25g) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (alternatively, use Grana Padano), finely grated
- Freshly grated nutmeg (see note in step 3)
- A handful of basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
- 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Sea salt
Requires: 2 large shallow baking trays. Note: The Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree is designed to be served as an appetizer and not intended to be a full meal. It makes a festive, shareable starter for approximately 8 people and is perfect for holiday gatherings.
Preheat oven to 200°C conventional oven (400° Fahrenheit/Gas 6). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the olive oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and toss for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Place the cooked spinach into a mesh strainer. Use the back of a ladle to press down and strain the liquid from the spinach. Alternatively, squeeze the spinach with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the spinach aside to cool slightly.
To make the filling, place the ricotta in a large bowl. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano), freshly grated nutmeg (see note) and salt to taste. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the cooled spinach, chopped basil (optional) and mix until combined.
Note: I have used whole nutmeg which is freshly grated for this recipe. Grating your own nutmeg is not only very easy to do however you get more vitamins than from already ground. If freshly grated nutmeg is not an option, substitute it for ground nutmeg in the recipe.
Unroll one puff pastry sheet onto a second large shallow baking tray, leaving it in the parchment paper it was wrapped in.
Spread the filling over the puff pastry. Unroll the remaining puff pastry sheet directly on top of the filling. Cut out an even triangle shape across the entire length of the pastry to make a tree shape and a square at the bottom to make the trunk. Set aside the remaining puff pastry outside of the Christmas tree which will be used to make pastry twists.
To cut branches for the tree, cut strips approximately 2cm thick down each side of the tree leaving a central strip of approximately 2cm for the trunk. Gently twist each branch strip, always twisting in the same direction. The longer strips will have multiple twists while the smaller ones only one.
Tip: This can be prepared (without the brushing of egg yolk) and refrigerated ahead of time and then baked while guests arrive which is perfect for entertaining!
Decorate the Christmas tree with cherry tomatoes to resemble Christmas balls.
To make pastry twists, cut the remaining Spinach and cheese filled puff pastry into 2cm-wide strips. Gently twist each strip a few times depending on the length and place on the prepared baking tray.
Use a fork to lightly beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the Spinach and cheese puff pastry Christmas tree and pastry twists with the beaten egg mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. If baking both trays at the same time, the bottom tray may need a longer cooking time. Cool slightly before serving – buon appetito!
