Savory Pumpkin Bites
Savory Pumpkin Bites
Ingredients
For the Savory Pumpkin Bites
- 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry, frozen, thawed but cold
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed completely dry & chopped
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon mixed white & black sesame seeds
- as needed pretzel sticks, broken into 1-inch segments for stems
- as needed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste garlic powder
For Serving
- as needed creamy garlic-herb dip
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
In a medium bowl, combine the dry chopped spinach, whole-milk ricotta cheese, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the filling is thick and cohesive.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Unroll the cold puff pastry sheets. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter or a knife, cut circles from the puff pastry. You should get approximately 6-8 circles per sheet, depending on the size.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Place about 2 tablespoons of the prepared filling into the center of each puff pastry circle. Carefully gather the edges of the pastry upward around the filling and pinch them tightly together to form a sealed round ball. Flip each ball seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Take a piece of food-safe baker's twine and loop it around each pastry ball. Create 4 intersecting axes to divide the ball into 8 segments, resembling a pumpkin. Tie the twine loosely at the top, leaving enough room for the pastry to expand during baking.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the top and sides of each twine-tied pastry ball thoroughly with the egg wash. Sprinkle the mixed white and black sesame seeds around the top knot of each pastry.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is puffed up, golden-brown, and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400 - 8
Remove the savory pumpkin bites from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Carefully snip and remove the baker's twine from each bite.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Insert a 1-inch segment of pretzel stick into the center of each pumpkin bite to act as a stem. Garnish with a fresh flat-leaf parsley leaf next to the pretzel stem. Serve warm with creamy garlic-herb dip on the side.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Savory Pumpkin Bites
For the Savory Pumpkin Bites
- 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry, frozen, thawed but cold
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed completely dry & chopped
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon mixed white & black sesame seeds
- as needed pretzel sticks, broken into 1-inch segments for stems
- as needed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste garlic powder
For Serving
- as needed creamy garlic-herb dip
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
In a medium bowl, combine the dry chopped spinach, whole-milk ricotta cheese, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the filling is thick and cohesive.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Unroll the cold puff pastry sheets. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter or a knife, cut circles from the puff pastry. You should get approximately 6-8 circles per sheet, depending on the size.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Place about 2 tablespoons of the prepared filling into the center of each puff pastry circle. Carefully gather the edges of the pastry upward around the filling and pinch them tightly together to form a sealed round ball. Flip each ball seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Take a piece of food-safe baker's twine and loop it around each pastry ball. Create 4 intersecting axes to divide the ball into 8 segments, resembling a pumpkin. Tie the twine loosely at the top, leaving enough room for the pastry to expand during baking.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the top and sides of each twine-tied pastry ball thoroughly with the egg wash. Sprinkle the mixed white and black sesame seeds around the top knot of each pastry.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is puffed up, golden-brown, and cooked through.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400 - 8
Remove the savory pumpkin bites from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Carefully snip and remove the baker's twine from each bite.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Insert a 1-inch segment of pretzel stick into the center of each pumpkin bite to act as a stem. Garnish with a fresh flat-leaf parsley leaf next to the pretzel stem. Serve warm with creamy garlic-herb dip on the side.
⏱️ 5 min