One sheet, defrosted, of frozen puff pastry dough makes up the braid’s outer layer.
Mix one egg yolk with water to make a color- and shine-enhancing egg wash.
One teaspoon salt
One teaspoon of sesame seeds gives a fragrant and ornamental touch.
Warnings:
Organise the Filling:
To a large pan set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Cook the scallions and chopped onion until tender.
Beat in the squeezed dry spinach and chopped dill. Grind in some pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, until well blended and any extra liquid has evaporated, a few minutes. Give it a brief cooling down.
Once chilled, thoroughly combine the beaten eggs, shredded mozzarella, and crumbled feta.
Make the puff pastry:
Set your oven to 190°C or 375°F. With parchment paper, line a baking sheet.
On a surface dusted with flour, roll out the defrosted puff pastry to a rectangle that is approximately ¼ inch thick. Line the baking sheet with the pastry.
Building the Braid:
Fill the pastry from center to edge. Cut 1/2-inch-wide diagonal strips along both edges of the filling.
To produce a braided appearance, fold the strips over the filling starting at one end and alternating from side to side. Tuck in the ends to seal.
Put on the egg wash and bake:
Over the braid, brush the egg yolk mixed with one teaspoon of water. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
The pastry should rise up and become golden brown after 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Slice after letting the braid cool for a few minutes. Present hot or room temperature.
A few pointers
Squeezing Spinach: Make sure the spinach is well squeezed dry to avoid the filling from being too wet and maybe making the pastry soggy.
Egg Wash:
Make sure the pastry is coated with egg wash uniformly across its whole surface for a golden finish.
Serving Suggestion: For a full supper, serve this braid as a stand-alone dish or with light salad.
Savor your lovely and delicious take on a well-loved Greek classic, Spanakopita Puff Pastry Braid!
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