27 July 2017

Rustic Spinach Tart - Ruff Puff Pastry

Rustic Spinach Tart - Ruff Puff Pastry / www.delightfulrepast.com

Rustic Spinach Tart is a recipe I developed decades ago when I was a vegetarian. Though it contains an egg and a half, it is not eggy, not a quiche. I made sure of that - because it's so easy for a vegetarian to get completely quiched-out!

I recall sprinkling the egg-washed crust with sesame seeds, but that's strictly optional. In fact, sometimes I skip the egg wash as well, as I did this time. If you like a shiny crust, though, do the egg wash.

Many spinach recipes call for frozen spinach, but I've only ever used fresh spinach. And I don't precook the spinach or the green onions, so the filling comes together quickly.

You can use any pastry you like, rolled out to a 15-inch circle, but Mr Delightful loves this pastry. If you're a fan of phyllo or frozen puff pastry, those work too. When cut into 16 or more wedges, the tart makes a great hors d'oeuvre or teatime savory.


Rustic Spinach Tart - Ruff Puff Pastry - vegetarian main dish or slice it smaller for hors d'ouevres or afternoon tea / www.delightfulrepast.com
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Rustic Spinach Tart


(Makes 1 9-inch pie)

The Pastry - Ruff Puff

1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar
Ice water to make 1/3 cup (2.67 fluid ounces/79 ml) liquid


The Spinach Filling

1 5-ounce package fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 green onion, chopped (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
5 ounces jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten, 1 tablespoon reserved for pastry egg wash
2 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried mint
Pinch of nutmeg


1 With metal blade in place, add flour, salt and baking powder to work bowl of food processor. Turn on for three seconds to combine. Add the frozen butter and pulse for three 1-second pulses.

2 In cup, combine lemon juice or cider vinegar and ice water. Pour liquid over all of flour mixture and pulse for three 1-second pulses. It will be very crumbly. Don't worry about it. You might not need the entire 1/3 cup of liquid, so maybe just start with 1/4 cup and see how it feels.

Note: No food processor? No problem. On large cutting board, mix together flour, salt and baking powder. With pastry scraper, cut frozen butter cubes into flour mixture. Mix the ice water and vinegar and sprinkle over the mixture, tossing lightly with a fork. You'll think it's just a big pile of nothing, but don't worry about it.

3 Turn the crumbly dough out onto lightly floured 12-inch square of parchment paper, and roughly shape into a 10-by-5-inch rectangle. Using a bench scraper or just the paper, carefully fold one third of the rectangle toward the center, then fold the other end to the center, like a letter. (It will still be a crumbly mess at this point.) Rotate the dough 90 degrees, then press (no need for rolling pin until after dough has been chilled) the dough again into a 10-by-5-inch rectangle. Repeat. After that third turn, cover and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Note: Work rather quickly. If at any point in the process the butter starts warming up or the dough seems to be getting soft or sticky, immediately cover and refrigerate it until it firms up.

4 On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll the chilled dough into a 10-by-5-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, then roll out and fold again. Roll the dough out once more and fold again into thirds. Roll out and fold once more, for a total of 4 turns.

5 Chill for two hours before using, or wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Note: I have every kind of rolling pin there is, but the tapered French rolling pin is the one I use most often. The J K Adams FRP-1 is made in the USA of maple.

Rustic Spinach Tart - Ruff Puff Pastry / www.delightfulrepast.com



6 Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas7. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Chop spinach, green onion and cilantro, put in a large bowl. Shred cheeses.

7 On floured piece of parchment 15 inches long, roll out pastry to a 15-inch circle, place in 9-inch pie plate set on a large baking sheet and put it in the refrigerator while finishing the filling. Don't try to make the pastry a perfect circle; this is supposed to be rustic.


8 Stir cheeses into spinach mixture, then stir in the flour. In small bowl, beat together egg (set aside 1 tablespoon for pastry egg wash), milk and seasonings. Stir into spinach mixture.

9 Turn filling into pie shell and fold in the edges of the pastry. Don't try to make it even or perfect. Add a teaspoon of water to the tablespoon of egg; brush it on the pastry just before it goes into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375F/190C/Gas5 and continue baking for 35 minutes.

69 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

Excellent and this might even trick my husband to eat some spinach without complaints!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Angie! Let me know if that works.

ellen b. said...

The ingredients sound delicious and the finished product looks beautiful! Can you tell I love food? :)

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

“Rusty” spinach. Yes, sir, I thought it would come to that. I mean, no one eats the stuff (except Popeye), so it sits around and gets rusty. Or crusty, in your recipe. Well, believe it or not, I sometimes eat spinach – providing I add my secret ingredient. No, it’s not Olive Oil. It’s lemon juice. Dunno how I got into that, but good ol’ lemon juice dominates everything. And spinach leaves in a fresh salad are terrific, especially with a raspberry vinaigrette. All by way of saying, I didn’t knee-jerk myself away from the table when I saw you are doing a vegetable this week. You write such intriguing recipes that they awaken the chemical engineer in me. (That’s a compliment…)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ellen. Yes, we have to have a little food with our tea, don't we? :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Wow, Sully, that sounds like a ringing endorsement! I think spinach is delicious cooked or raw, but I never suspected *you* might like it in *any* form. You are full of surprises (and that's the first time I've been told I awakened the chemical engineer in anyone)!

Daniela said...

What an outstanding recipe, Dearest Jean, you're a very talented Lady, you share and make such captivating recipes both for sweet and for salty dishes, thanks most sincerely !

Trusting you're having a lovely week,
I'm sending blessings on your way

XOXO Dany

Bernideen said...

Oh Jean: This looks really good. I make a lot of quiche and this week I made the savory tart that was in the Mar/Apr Vicoria. It is a spinach cheese tart. I do cook my spinach and also onion though. I also added ham this time and bacon last time. Thank you for sharing and linking Jean!

Bernideen said...

I should have corrected: Victoria Magazine

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, dear Dany! And I wish you a wonderful week as well.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Bernideen, thank you. I haven't seen a Victoria magazine in years. I used to subscribe, years ago; but I have a "problem" (addiction) with magazines, so ... I've been rather avoiding them for a while! I would normally cook my onion, too, but I was just being super lazy that day. The spinach works so well uncooked, though, I always do it that way. Ham or bacon are always welcome!

Jeanie said...

Looks seriously delish. When I get back home (and have things like mixers and food processors and a plethora of ingredients and the right sized pans, I'll have to give this a try.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Jeanie. In the meantime, have fun at the lake!

Mrs Shoes said...

Mouth is watering....

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Mrs Shoes!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I really need to try your ruff puff pastry recipe! Thanks for sharing your spinach tart recipe, too. Happy Baking, Jean!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Kitty. It might be a good one for Nana's Cooking Camp, too, because it's not finicky pastry that you have to be careful about overhandling.

Louca por porcelana said...

Wow Jean!It looks really good!!!I wish I could eat that delicious spinach tart now ! I'll try to translate your recipe to Portuguese,but it's very difficult for me(translate recipes)...What a shame!Lol!Hugs.

Louca por porcelana said...

I forgot to say that I LOOOVE your silver!!!Xo

Cranberry Morning said...

Oh Jean, this looks marvelous! I wish there was a piece sitting in front of me right now! Thank you for the recipe!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Even though I just had dinner, my mouth is watering! I'm a lover of these kinds of dishes and your's looks wonderful Jean. Your pastry looks interesting as well. Love your rolling pin! ♥

Quinn said...

Looks perfect! Will pin :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Maristella, thank you. I hope you can figure out the translating. I don't have a clue about Portugese, but your English is wonderful! That fork *is* a pretty pattern, thank you.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Judy! I think you'd like it, with a gluten-free crust, of course.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Martha, thank you so much. I love my rolling pin, too. It seemed odd at first, years ago, after having used a pin with ball bearings for so long. But I like it soooo much better.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Quinn. And social media shares are *much* appreciated!

Margie said...

What a tasty, but healthy, recipe! Are you still a vegetarian?

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Margie. No, I'm not. My husband did not thrive on a vegetarian diet (and I did everything right!), and it was too hard to make his-and-hers meals, so I gave it up. I eat lots of vegetarian meals, but most often have meat in our "together" meal, dinner.

Susan J Meyerott, M.S. said...

Yumm, Jean! I've been a bit bored with what to fix for dinner and this looks just right for a pick me up. I love eggs so a bit of egg in this dish is good. But the puff pastry really sounds like the touch I'm looking for in my tastebuds!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sue, thank you. I hope you'll try it soon and that it will indeed be what your tastebuds are looking for!

Lorrie said...

I've watched a few Great British Bake Off shows and they talk about rough puff pastry sometimes and I never really knew what it was. (Nor did I bother looking it up.) So I'm glad to see this recipe. It looks easy enough. And the filling looks yummy. I like to make a meatless meal once or twice a week.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Lorrie. It's one of my favorite meatless meals. And here is another post I did about the pastry a few years ago, a larger recipe - this amount is just right for this tart.

Pauline Wiles said...

I really appreciate the in-progress photo. This makes me think I could manage to make this tart (love that the filling doesn't need much preparation). Thanks, Jean!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Pauline, thank you. I was hoping the in-progress photo would be helpful. I know you could manage it just fine!

Unknown said...

oh hell yes! This is happening. Delish.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Cool! It's perfect for summer. Thanks.

Cocoa and Lavender said...

Your rough puff (ruff puff) is similar to mine but in a smaller batch. Lord, how I have needed a small batch version! And the frozen spinach issue is one of my pet peeves. Using frozen takes much more work and the flavor and texture aren't as good. Why do people always think using a frozen product is better? I will be trying this tonight if I can get spinach at the farmers market this morning, or later in the week if I need to rely on Trader Joe!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, David. Funny, I was just hopping online for a few minutes to run over and see what *you* had posted, and here you are! Sometimes I like to make a big batch of pastry and freeze it, portioned out for various recipes. But sometimes I just want to make a small batch for one recipe. I don't understand frozen spinach at all! And canned? Don't get me started! I still remember moving to a new school in the middle of fourth grade. Had a rough first day. Was holding it together until lunchtime. When I sat down with my tray and looked down at the canned beef (ground) stew and canned spinach, I was fighting back the tears.

FABBY'S LIVING said...


What a great looking pie! I'm pinning and thank you for sharing.
Thank you also for your sweet and kind comment, I so appreciate it.
My Blue Onion china for 8 is from the Czech-Republic, but I also have a few pieces I mix in that are Hutschenreuther from Germany. The teapot is German, Bareuther-Bavaria. Where is yours from?
Have a lovely week ahead.
FABBY

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much, Fabby. My Blue Onion is Blue Danube. I have some white Hutschenreuther; didn't know they made a Blue Onion.

Gerlinde de Broekert said...

I am so happy I found a recipe for rough pastry dough. My husband hates spinach and won't touch it but I can make it for my book club. I was also a vegetarian for 12 years .

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Cool! I'm so happy to have my recipe served to a book club, Gerlinde!

https://www.vintagesouthernpicks.com said...

Jean, you do a great tutorial for this and it looks so appetizing the way you have it served up on the plate. I like the way you tell us, "it will look like a mess, but don't worry about it." How many times have I followed recipes, and wondered, "is it supposed to look like this?" That's kind of comforting for you to say that. Also, I'm surprised you don't cook the spinach or onions first. That's great. I would like to skip that step more often!
Thanks for sharing at Sweet Inspiration this week!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Florence, thank you! I'm so glad you noticed those things. I had hoped it would be helpful! About the onions, if I had no mild green onions on hand to cut rather finely and was using chopped yellow onions, I would definitely cook the onion for a few minutes. But not the spinach.

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Looks just wonderful! I'm always looking for meatless meals and this one looks so tasty although I fear I would probably 'cheat' and use store-bought puff pastry.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Lauren! And feel free to use any shortcuts you like - I took a shortcut for dinner today - takeout!

Kitchen Riffs said...

What a pretty dish! Love pastry things like this. And spinach makes a wonderful filling. Thanks!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, John. And you can cut small slices (no fork needed) to serve with your splendid cocktails!

Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond said...

I've never made this Jean but I do love Spinach Tart. I've pinned for future reference. Thanks for linking up and sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. Have a great day!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sue, thank you. Pins always appreciated, too!

Cocoa and Lavender said...

This was delicious, Jean! We both loved it, and enjoyed it a second day for lunch at work. My pastry was definitely not as good as yours - I will have to try again! I think I somehow added too much liquid… We will be adding this to our regular rotation. Thanks again!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

David, I'm so glad you guys liked it! Thank you for letting me know. I should add into the directions that all the liquid might not be needed and so add it gradually.

Christie Hawkes said...

Looks delicious Jean! Thanks for sharing on #BloggingGrandmothersLInkParty!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Christie, thank you. I finished the last of one yesterday, and I'm wishing I still had a piece for today!

Clearissa said...

I love spinach and this is a unique and yummy way to prepare it. Always looking for creative dishes and this is creative. Thanks for sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I have shared on social media.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Clearissa! And TY for the SM shares, too!

Lori G. Hill said...

What a unique recipe! Thanks for sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty

Carol ("Mimi") said...

This recipe looks really delicious. I like spinach prepared just about any way I can think of, and this looks great -- healthy and tasty, too. Thank you for linking up at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I’m sharing your link on social media.
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Carol! And SM shares are much appreciated, too!

Indah Nuria Savitri said...

Happy to try it! Great alternative for spinach lover like me :).

Thanks for sharing it and I have chosen your post to be featured on #OMHGWW this week :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much, Indah! I'll see you there!

3 Little Buttons said...

Yum how lovely! I doubt I would be able to do this, but my hubby makes a similar greek version of this dish. Fab as always! #DreamTeam xx

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Annette, I'm sure you could! But busy mums probably don't make a lot of pastry!

Dee | GrammysGrid.com said...

Looks really good, I like spinach. Looking at the top photo I thought it had beef in it too but nope, not after I read the ingredients. Thank you Jean for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I shared your post on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Patricia said...

Definitely going to try this.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Grammy Dee. The browning on top does not photograph well. I think I could have avoided that by melting a bit of cheese on top toward the end of baking. Your SM shares are *much* appreciated!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Patricia. Do let me know how it turns out for you.

aginglikeafinewine.com said...

I do love recipes that include spinach. This sounds like something I would truly enjoy. Thank you for sharing at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty! Pinned and shared.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, ALAFW! I hope you'll try it soon!