Homemade Puff Pastry with Savory Filling

Ingredients

• 250 g All‑purpose flour (sifted)
• 200 g Cold unsalted butter (cut into thin sheets; keep chilled)
• 120 ml Ice‑cold water (use a measuring cup)
• 1 tsp Salt (fine sea salt)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for sautéing filling)
• 1 Medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 Garlic cloves (minced)
• 200 g Fresh spinach (washed and roughly chopped)
• 100 g Feta cheese (crumbled)
• ½ tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Make the dough

   In a large mixing bowl combine the sifted flour, salt, and 1 tbsp of the cold butter. Add the ice‑cold water gradually while mixing with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Rest the dough

   Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

3. Prepare the butter block

   Place the remaining 199 g of cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and pound with a rolling pin into a 1 cm thick square. Keep it chilled until the dough is ready.

   Time: PT10M

4. Laminate – first fold

   On a lightly floured surface roll the rested dough into a rectangle about 30 cm × 15 cm. Place the butter block in the centre, fold the dough over the butter (like a letter) and seal the edges.

   Time: PT5M

5. Roll and fold – turn 1

   Roll the sealed dough into a long rectangle (≈ 40 cm × 15 cm) and fold it into thirds (third‑fold). Wrap in plastic and chill for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

6. Roll and fold – turn 2

   Repeat the roll‑and‑third‑fold process a second time, then chill again for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

7. Roll and fold – turn 3 (final)

   Perform a third roll‑and‑third‑fold. After this turn, the dough has 27 layers. Chill for another 15 minutes before shaping.

   Time: PT10M

8. Prepare the savory filling

   Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent (≈ 5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted (≈ 3 minutes). Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then mix in crumbled feta and black pepper.

   Time: PT10M

9. Shape and fill the pastries

   Roll the laminated dough to a thickness of about 3 mm (≈ 30 cm × 30 cm square). Cut into 8 equal squares. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each square, fold into triangles or rectangles, and press edges with a fork to seal.

   Time: PT10M

10. Bake

    Place the filled pastries on a parchment‑lined baking sheet. Bake in a pre‑heated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: 200°C

11. Cool and serve

    Remove from oven, let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All‑purpose flour: bread flour, whole‑wheat flour (will affect texture)
• Instead of Cold unsalted butter: cold margarine (for dairy‑free)
• Instead of Salt: kosher salt (adjust amount)
• Instead of Olive oil: vegetable oil
• Instead of Medium onion: shallots
• Instead of Fresh spinach: kale (will need longer sauté)
• Instead of Feta cheese: goat cheese, cotija

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Pastry brush (optional)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Sharp knife
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Keep the butter block and dough chilled between folds.
• Fully encase the butter to prevent leaking during rolling.
• Roll the dough to a uniform thinness (≈ 3 mm) for proper layer formation.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use ice‑cold water (no more than 25°C) to keep the dough temperature low.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap after each turn to retain moisture and prevent freezer burn.
• For extra flavor, add a pinch of ground cumin to the filling.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store baked pastries in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Unbaked assembled pastries freeze well for up to 1 month; bake from frozen adding 5 minutes to bake time.

Room temperature: Not recommended; pastries become soggy after 2 hours at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The laminated dough can be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Unbaked pastries can be frozen; bake directly from frozen.