December 6, 2021

Spinach & Feta Tarte Soleil

Spinach and feta filling spread on puff pastry and twisted into a sun shape.

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Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, French, greek

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Filling:

8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and moisture squeezed out
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup chopped scallion
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 tsp black pepper

Base:

1 box puff pastry (17.3 oz. package)
1 egg
1 tbsp milk

Instructions

Thaw puff pastry until workable (about 30 minutes).

Filling:

Lightly sauté the garlic in olive oil until golden, then add spinach and sauté for another minute.
Turn off the heat and stir in feta, scallion, cream cheese, salt, and black pepper. Combine well and adjust seasonings.

Base & Assemble:

Roll out the 2 sheets of puff pastry to thin out. Cut about a 10 inch circle from each sheet. There will be some leftover puff pastry from the corners which you can bake separately as well. Use a sprinkle of flour to prevent sticking to your work surface.
Place one circle on a greased baking sheet. Spread the filling, leaving a 1 inch gap around the edge. Place the 2nd circle on top and seal the edge with your fingers.
Place a small glass in the middle to mark the center (think of it as the "sun"). Cut 16 slits all around it (the "rays"), from the glass to the outer edge. Twist each strip 2 times to expose the filling.
Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and milk. Brush the egg wash all over the tarte soleil.
Bake at 400° for about 30 minutes, until puffed up and golden.

Notes

Use the lid of a pot to cut your 10 inch circles of puff pastry.
Work with puff pastry as it has thawed. If it sits out for too long, it will get too soft to work with. If this happens, put it in the refrigerator until workable again.

Keyword feta, spanakopita, spinach, spinach pie

Spinach & Feta Tarte Soleil: Appetizer Goals

This Spinach & Feta Tarte Soleil is the perfect party appetizer. Although it tastes best fresh out of the oven (what doesn’t?) it is perfectly fine at room temperature too. It looks stunning and is fun for guests to pull apart as they eat it. And the spinach and cheese flavors are universally enjoyed. It’s spinach roll with a literal twist!

What is “Tarte Soleil”?

“Tarte soleil” in French directly translates to “sun tart”. This French starter gets its name from its appearance. It really does look like the sun! The filling can vary, from pesto to olive tapenade. Traditionally, the puff pastry is made from scratch, but I can’t justify the efforts when it’s so easy to grab a box of this super versatile ingredient from the supermarket.

The Filling

The best part of this appetizer is hands down the delicious filling. It’s inspired by both a spinach roll and spanakopita, the Greek spinach pie. The filling greatly benefits from some added moisture, so I always add cream cheese. It makes such a big difference! Fresh spinach can also be used, but it doesn’t beat the convenience of frozen spinach. Just make sure you do a good job of squeezing out all the moisture from the spinach, or else you will end up with a soggy tarte soleil. And who wants a soggy tarte soleil?

The Steps, in a Nutshell

First, take the puff pastry out of the freezer to thaw while you make the filling. The filling part is super easy. A quick sauté to lose the rawness of the garlic and spinach, then a toss with the cheeses, herb, and spices. Once the puff pastry has thawed, separate the two sheets and roll them out to make them thinner. Dust a little flour on your work surface to prevent sticking. Use the lid of a pot or any big circular object to trace and cut a circle about 10 inches on each puff pastry sheet. There will be some leftover puff pastry from the corners you just cut off. You can stick these onto the baking sheet too (why waste them?)

Transfer one circle to a greased (and parchment paper-lined for easy cleanup) baking sheet. Spread that delicious filling, but leave a gap around the edges. Now place the second circle on top and seal the edges. Now here’s the fun part that feels like an arts and crafts project! Lightly place a small glass or something else’s the circular in the middle (don’t cut through). This is just to mark off the center (the “sun”). Now grab a knife and cut slits starting from the glass to the edge of the puff pastry circles. If you start by making 4 equal quadrants, then divide each quadrant 2 times, you will end up with 16 equal strips. Then grab the end of each strip and carefully twist it 2 times to expose the filling. Brush egg wash all over, and then stand back to admire your work of art. Then just bake until it’s puffy and golden!

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