When these were in the oven and I was thinking about this post, I started wondering: is it a pie? Is it a tart? Is it a quiche? I couldn’t decide because I never pay much attention to names of dishes – ‘what’s in a name?’ 😉 On the other hand I’m always curious and willing to learn. And I had to name this post. So I resorted to Google and Wikipedia to learn the differences and here they are:
pies are usually deep with a light, flaky crust;
tarts are shallower, usually baked in loose bottomed tins, with a crumbly crust;
quiches are usually savoury and the custard filling is baked in either a shortcrust or a puff pastry shell.
Well, these are deep, savoury and the crust is flaky, so I decided they’re pies 🙂
Let me ramble a little more – bear with me, will you? I’ve read many a time people saying ‘I don’t usually bake because it’s too precise’. There are two things I’d like to say about it: there’s a world of recipes out there that do not require precision (this recipe included!) and, if baking indeed required that much accuracy, it wouldn’t be possible to use cup measurements – I love my scales though! 😛
SPINACH AND CREAM CHEESE PIES
INGREDIENTS
puff pastry
spinach
olive oil
garlic, minced
salt
cream cheese
grated parmesan cheese
METHOD
Wash and dry spinach leaves. Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and let it cook. Add spinach and a pinch of salt and cook until it’s wilted. Drain, chop and let it cool.
Once cooled, add a few tablespoons of cream cheese (just enough to make it creamy) and combine.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Cut puff pastry to fit into the cups of a muffin tin, fill with creamy spinach and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve warm.
I like this recipe very much! I am doing an appetizer series in my blog and would like to refer people here to you.
LikeLike
I’m so sorry, Tonette, I hadn’t seen your comment before! I’ve been having some serious health issues so I kind of abandoned the blog for a while. But feel free to share any of my recipes 🙂
LikeLike
Spinach and cream cheese is a great combination that is always a pleasure to eat. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by Liz!
LikeLike
I love mini pies, whether they are for breakfast, dinner, or desert. Your spinach and cream cheese make a very attractive pie.
LikeLike
Thank you, Julie! These are really good and almost healthy 😉
LikeLike
The spinach and cream cheese pies look wonderful and would be fabulous to take on a picnic. Pies, tarts…..it’s all so confusing!
LikeLike
Thanks, Maggie! It would be lovely to take them to a picnic indeed 🙂 Oh it’s been so long since I last went on a picnic!
LikeLike
These mini pies look so indulgent and decadent, a big fan of the delicious creaminess 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
LikeLike
Thanks Uru!
LikeLike
Erika- I am having problems posting this to you, so hopefully this will work! 🙂 I wanted to let you know that you have been nominated for The Sunshine Award. Participation is optional, but if you do want to participate here is the link to find out more:
http://creatingbeautyinthekitchen.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/feeling-encouraged-d/
LikeLike
Awn! Thank you so much, Lori! I’m way behind with the awards section 😦 But I’ll get to it soon x
LikeLike
No worries! I was way behind as well! No rush! 🙂
LikeLike
Spinach and cream cheese pies! Oh my, these are a crowd pleaser, I’m sure. These look delicious, Erika. I like baking and though I adhere closely to measurements in recipes, I don’t weigh anything and I tend to eyeball the smaller amounts (like a “pinch” of salt or a 1/8 teaspoon of paprika, for example). Have a great week!
LikeLike
Thank you, Ngan! Oh, and I’m not that neurotic – I do eyeball salt, pepper and the likes 😉 Have a nice weekend!
LikeLike
Delicious!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Us Brits call most things pies. Or tarts, for that matter. I never know the difference. And usually never care as long as I get to eat ’em!
LikeLike
You are so right, Johnny! 😀
LikeLike
These look so good, Erika!
LikeLike
Thank you, dear!
LikeLike
Great looking pies, spinach and cream cheese would be delicious! I also love my scales! Though it’s funny, I can get all pedantic about the weight of flour, sugar, etc, but draw the line at recipes that ask for eggs (egg whites, yolks) by weight – that is crazy French patisserie territory! 😛
Thanks for bringing these to Fiesta Friday!
LikeLike
LoL! Weighing eggs is crazy indeed 😀 But there’s no way around it when it comes to macarons
LikeLike
Ahh, that would explain why my (attempts at) macarons turn out a bit strange, either as flattish almond things or … just strange. Still delicious though, we just close our eyes and munch away. 😀
LikeLike
Pingback: Fiesta Friday #14 and Fiesta Friday Challenge #1 | The Novice Gardener·
These look and sound delicious! I do love a pie thats light on pastry and heavy on the filling.
I completely agree with you about the cup measurements, i’ve always wondered how they could possibly be accurate! 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you! When I convert American recipes (and I use an app to do it) I’m always afraid they won’t work
LikeLike
These loos so delicious, Erika! I love Spinach and cream cheese!
LikeLike
Thanks, Kloé! This combo is great indeed 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, Erika, please pass me a few of those pies! They look delightful! Spinach and cream cheese pair so well together. Yum!
LikeLike
Thank you, Patty! I’m sending a couple your way 😉
LikeLike
Well, that’s awfully thoughtful of you!! 😉
LikeLike
Será que Wanda conseguirá fazer? Aparentemente não é muito difícil. E os ingredientes são fáceis de encontrar e comprar.
Bj.
LikeLike
Não tem mistério. E pode fazer numa forma grande também 🙂
LikeLike
Ooooh! Yummity yum yum yum!!!
LikeLike
🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you!
LikeLike