Kronk's Spinach Puffs from The Emperor's New Groove
The Starving Chef
Making a copycat recipe inspired by Kronk's spinach puffs in The Emperor's New Groove. Packed with cheesy, spinachy flavor and wrapped in a flaky puff pastry, it's no wonder these are Kronk's favorite puffs.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Open the puff pastry and begin to thaw. When the pastry is pilable, unfold and cut into six even rectangles.
On the stovetop, melt the butter until frothy then add the onion and diced green chiles. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and dill. Continue to cook until the dill is just fragrant and the onions have softened, about another 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
While the spinach mixture is still hot, stir in the ricotta, feta and neufchatel cheese. Don't overstir, leave some of the mixture clumpy - just mix enough to cover the spinach in a consistent coating of the cheeses.
Arrange the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an eggwash.
Use a spoon to measure about 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach mixture into the center of each rectangle. Pull the left corner edge to stretch and pull it over the center of the filling. Then pull up the bottom corner to cover the center. Finally wrap the right corner edge over the center and tuck under the filling so that it wrapped up in the center. Leave the last corner open so the filling is exposed.
Brush the eggwash generously over the pastries. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
Serve the spinach puffs hot - or allow to cool and serve room temperature; or chill and serve later. Enjoy while attempting to poison the Emperor. Boom BABAY!
Notes
If any of the filling is spilling out, use the back of a spoon to lightly press the filling back into the center of the puffs while they are still hot.