Spinach, Crab and Feta Tarts
- Ready In:
- 1hr 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 24
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
-
Tarts
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the filo)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb fresh spinach, tough stems removed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 lb lump crabmeat, picked over
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1⁄8 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 6 sheets phyllo pastry
-
Sauces
- 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
- 1⁄4 cup flying fish roe (available at Asian markets) (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar, about
directions
- Make the spinach and crab tarts: Melt 1 tblsp of the butter in a small saucepan.
- Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6 minutes.
- In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tblsp butter in the olive oil.
- Add the spinach and cook over high heat, stirring often, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and ¼ tsp salt.
- Spoon the spinach into a colander set over a bowl and press down to remove the excess liquid.
- Transfer the spinach to a large bowl, reserve ¼ cup of the liquid.
- Add the reserved spinach liquid to the sautéed onions.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes.
- Add the mixture to the spinach along with the crabmeat and feta.
- In a small bowl, beat the whole egg, egg white, heavy cream, paprika, cayenne and ¼ tsp of salt.
- Stir the mixture into the spinach.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Lightly butter six 3-ounce muffin cups in a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Spread 1 sheet of filo on a work surface; keep the remaining sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel.
- Brush the filo with some of the melted butter.
- Lay another sheet of filo on top, brush with butter and repeat the process with 1 more sheet of filo and butter (3 sheets in all).
- Cut the filo into three 6-inch squares and gently press a square into each of the buttered muffin cups; discard the trimmings.
- Repeat the process with the remaining sheets of filo and melted butter.
- Using kitchen scissors, trim the corners of the filo, then neatly fold in any overhanging edges.
- Make the sauces: In a blender, combine the tomatoes, red wine vinegar and tomato paste.
- Season with salt and pepper and puree until smooth.
- Strain into a medium bowl.
- Rinse and dry the blender.
- Add the basil and olive oil and puree until smooth.
- Scrape the basil oil into a small bowl and season with salt.
- In another small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, flying fish roe (if using) lemon juice and mustard.
- Spoon the crab filling into the filo-lined cups.
- Bake the tarts in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the filo is golden-brown and the filling is set.
- Let cool slightly in muffin tin.
- Transfer the crab tarts to individual plates.
- Top each tart with a heaping tsp of the mayonnaise.
- Drizzle the tomato sauce, basil oil and balsamic vinegar around each tart.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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OK, here goes. I live in Athens, Greece. I moved out here many, many years ago from Ottawa, Canada - so I am blessed in having two wonderful heritages!
I suffer from compulsive obsessive behaviour with regard to food and my psychiatrist thought it would be a good idea to find a 'society' where many have the same problem and try to find a cure.
So far, I've copied a couple of thousand recipes from this site and my psychiatrist has thrown the towel in and refuses to answer the phone when I call.
What did I do wrong?
Got 3 kids that keep me on the go - 10 and under at this point (2008) - I may not get round to updating this for a few years, so you'll have to do your own maths.
I teach English full-time and Greek Cookery part-time. I would like to make the cooking part of it full-time and the English Grammar part of it part-time.
That's all for now.