Spanokopita-Style Hand Pies Recipe

1. Heat oil in a medium-sized Dutch oven on medium-low, then add onion. Cook, with a pinch of salt, stirring often. When onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook one more minute.

2. Add spinach, tossing to coat with oil, and add another small pinch of salt. Cook until spinach is very tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes, then turn off heat and stir in cheese. Add lemon zest, nutmeg, and dill. Salt to taste, and add lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time tasting until desired flavor is achieved. Set aside.

3. Heat oven to 400°F and adjust rack to middle position, then lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll puff pastry out into a 10- by 8-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry into four smaller rectangles.

4. Dock the center of each rectangle lightly with a fork, leaving half an inch of space on each side. Spoon 1/4 of filling into each rectangle and fold over like a book. To seal edges, crimp by lightly pressing down on them with the back of the fork.

5. Bake hand pies on a parchment-lined sheet pan until pastry is well-browned, firm, and dry, about 30 minutes. Or freeze pies on sheet pan for several hours, then transfer to a zip-top bag for long-term storage. Serve hand pies warm or at room temperature.

Special Equipment

Rolling pin

This Recipe Appears In

• Spice Hunting: Nutmeg