New Recipe! : Spinach and Chickpea Pouches

The latest from the Kitchen Messes and Successes files... this recipe is out of Almost Meatless.



The Stuff
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 ounces ground beef
1 small red onion, sliced into thin strips
8 cups (about 6 ounces) loosely packed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 Tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into thick strips (about 1 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 sheets filo dough, each lightly brushed with olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbs lightly toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup tzatziki, plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream

The Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces. When the meat is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, spinach, chile flakes, garlic, and oregano to the pan until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked beef, pepper strips, and chickpeas. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

To assemble and bake, cut the 12 sheets of filo dough in half horizontally so you have 24 rectangles. Stash the filo not being worked with under a damp tea towel to prevent drying. Divide into 6 stacks of 4. Place 1/2 cup of the beef mixture in a long mound toward the center of each stack, sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon of the feta cheese, and fold up the sides to enclose. Transfer each pouch, seam side down, to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush the tops of each pouch with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Serve each pouch with a dollop of tzatziki.

The Verdict
I made a few modifications: I only had frozen spinach and a fresh red pepper so I boiled the spinach on the stovetop and sauteed the onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil instead of the hamburger drippings since I used some beef I had already browned earlier this week.
Also, this was my first time cooking with phyllo(filo) dough. Unfortunately, I thought I could just pull it out of the freezer and get down... not so. When I unrolled it, it was brittle and broke into shreds. So instead proceeding as planned, I sprayed an 11-by-7 inch baking pan with cooking spray, spread the spinach mixture in and dotted with the feta. Then I layered the shreds of phyllo dough on top, brushing a little olive oil between each sheet. I used about 16 sheets, staggering to cover the whole dish. Then I popped it in the oven and baked for about 25 minutes. It came out pretty good! The filling is super tasty, with just enough beef to satisfy the carnivore. The chickpeas and spinach are filling and red peppers are my new favorite flavor addition.