1 quantity Country Bread dough
two 8-oz (250-g) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
¼ cup (2 fl oz / 60 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
¾ cup (4 oz / 125 g) crumbled feta cheese
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Make bread dough according to directions, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, either in mixing bowl or bread maker.
Meanwhile, drain thawed spinach in a sieve, pressing it well with the back of a spoon to remove moisture. Heat oil in a frying pan, add onion and cook over low heat until translucent. Transfer to a bowl and add spinach and dill. Mix in feta cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 portions.
When dough has risen, knock down and turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface. Knead lightly and divide into 4 equal portions, rolling each into a ball. Cover with a cloth. Roll out 1 ball of dough into a rectangle about 20 in (50 cm) long and 5½ (14 cm) wide. Use one portion of filling, spread along centre of dough in a 2½-in (6-cm) wide strip. Fold sides of dough over filling and press ends to seal. Turn dough strip over and trim ends. Place filled dough, seam-side down, onto a greased baking sheet, halving strip if too long. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Using a sharp knife, cut each strip through to base in approximately 2½-in (6-cm) squares. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C / Gas 6).
Brush tops of pastries with beaten egg and bake until golden and pastries sound hollow when tapped, about 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and cut through to separate into individual pastries. Serve hot or warm.
Makes 32
cooking time : 25 minutes, including filling
country : Libya
course : appetizer
source : North African Cooking / Tess Mallos