Puff pastry quiche with minced meat, sheep's cheese, spinach, feta cheese, and cream cheese filling

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 pts. puff pastry, e.g. in roll form
• 800 g minced meat, mixed, very tasty with minced lamb)
• 150 g cheese (goat cheese), e.g. goat Gouda
• pepper
• Paprika powder
• nutmeg
• 3 small onions, finely diced without the middle stalk
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced, germ removed
• 200 g bacon, finely diced
• 2 eggs
• 1 bunch of mixed herbs, chopped, e.g. oregano, basil, rosemary
• 500 g leaf spinach, frozen or fresh
• 150 g feta cheese
• Flour, 3-4 tbsp
• 150 g cream cheese, also with herbs
• 1 egg(s)
• 2 tbsp cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

two-layer filled puff pastry cake

Remove the frozen spinach from the freezer in good time and let it thaw completely. Line the bottom of a springform pan with baking paper, lightly grease the edges, and line the puff pastry (first roll) so that the sides are also completely covered with pastry; the edges are important. Prepare the onions, garlic, and herbs, finely chop or grate the goat cheese, prepare the spices, and slice the bacon. Heat a pan, add the bacon and fry until crispy, add about two onions and garlic, and finally the ground beef, and cook everything thoroughly. Then turn off the heat, season the meat mixture, mix in the herbs and taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, stir in the cheese, crack one egg and stir in (it should be cool enough that it doesn’t curdle immediately!). Pour the meat mixture into the prepared springform pan. Squeeze out the thawed frozen spinach leaves. Remove all the liquid. If necessary, you can use a salad spinner and help it along with kitchen paper. Then chop the spinach leaves slightly (cut lengthwise and crosswise into approximately 2x2cm squares) – do not use them uncut, as this can unsightly tear the filling apart when cutting the finished pie! Wash the fresh spinach, sort it, blanch it, and chop it. Fry the last onion in a pan with a little margarine until translucent, add the feta cheese and let it melt, then add the cream cheese. Season the mixture with pepper and, if desired, add a good amount of nutmeg. Thicken with flour to achieve a firmer consistency and prevent the mixture from running out when cutting the pie. Add the spinach and stir it in – do not heat it any further! Crack the second egg into the mixture and stir it into the mixture, then pour the mixture onto the minced meat in the springform pan. Adding salt is not necessary for the fillings, as the cheese is salty enough. Cut the puff pastry (second roll) into a circle so that it covers the filling. Before placing the puff pastry on top of the mixture, first make a hole in the center—about the size of a 2-pound sheet—to prevent the cake from cracking during baking and allow steam to escape. Now fold the edge of the puff pastry down over the covering circle to seal the cake tightly. Cut out shapes from the remaining pastry using cookie cutters, or cut them loosely, and decorate the cake. If you have any leftover pastry, you can also cut out shapes or roll them into small sticks. Sprinkle with grated cheese if desired, and bake for 20 minutes, then serve them on the side. Brush the cake with the egg and cream mixture and bake at 180-190 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius for the last 10 minutes. While the cake is still hot, remove it from the pan with a knife and serve. This cutting works best with a serrated knife. I recommend cutting 8 slices from the cake—enough for 8 servings, depending on the occasion and appetite, or 4 people as a main meal. It tastes great with a glass of wine, or, in season, with a new wine, such as a Bizzler or Federweißer.