Flaky quick ġbejniet and peas puff pastries: an easy snack to have on hand! Layers of dough with a fresh herby cheese mixture in between, portioned individually for a grab and go snack or lunch!
What’s better than dough filled with delicious fillings? Well, these ġbejniet and peas puff pastries are a great savoury snack. The puff pastry is topped with a cheese and peas mixture, then rolled into a large roll, flattened slightly and portioned, and finally baked until golden brown. Serve this multiple layered flaky snack on it’s on or with a side salad for lunch.
Quick Ġbejniet and Peas Puff Pastries Ingredients
- Ġbejniet cheese: the traditional fresh Maltese cheese is sweet with a slight tangy taste. Once mash and seasoned it gets so creamy and smooth, that makes it a perfect ingredient to fill the olives. Alternatively, you can use feta cheese, goat cheese or any other crumbly soft cheese. However, you need to be careful with the seasonings as well!
- Parmesan cheese: this grated cheese helps elevate the cheese flavour and make the pastries more moreish.
- Garlic powder: I prefer to use the powder as it will melt directly in the cheese mixture. However, minced garlic will work just as well.
- Egg: One egg is used in two ways; the egg white to get the filling extra fluffy whereas the egg yolk is brushed on top of the pastry to give it that signature gloss.
- Peas: frozen or fresh peas parboiled add a popping touch to the filling. However, you can also use canned drained peas.
- Parsley: fresh flat leaf parsley is the best as it adds freshness and a lovely earthy aftertaste here without being over powering. Slightly chop it up roughly before adding to the mixture.
- Salt and pepper: essential to help enhance the flavours.
- Puff Pastry: store bought puff pastry will make this recipe quick and easy. However, you can make the dough from scratch as well.
- Sesame seeds: few sprinkled sesame seeds on top will make these puff pastries look nicer. Poppy seeds or other seeds can be used!
Want to make the dough yourself insted of store bought?
Here is an alternative!
For these puff pastries, I opted to go with a store bought one, as I wanted to keep them as quick and easy as possible. However, you can easily make the dough yourself. The one which I would opt for is this flaky dough, as I adore how crumbly this type of dough gets, and personally I just love picking up the fallen crumbs from the plate. Besides, this dough is so easy to make and I have used in it in multiple recipes such as: Leek, Mushroom and Feta Hand Pies and Cheddar, Caramelised Onions and Prosciutto Hand Pies.
Pie Dough
- 350 g plain flour
- 230 g cubed cold butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp cold water
- In a large bowl mix together the flour and salt. Add the cubed cold butter and work into the flour. Rub in all the butter in the flour until you have a coarse mixture with small pebbles of butter.
- Slowly start adding a tablespoon at a time of cold water, while forming a smooth dough. Your dough might require less or more water. Once the dough is ready, wrap into some cling film and store in the fridge for at least an hour or two.
FAQs
Can I prepare the pastries in advance?
Most definitely, you can prepare them beforehand! Uncooked ones can be stored in the freezer. Whilst, cooked pastries can stay in the fridge or in the freezer. Keep the pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for not more than 3 days. Whereas, in the freezer the pastries can stay for about 2 months.
What cheese can I use instead of ġbejniet?
If you do not have access to these ġbejniet, substitute with feta cheese, ricotta or goat cheese. Alternatively, try making ġbejniet at home and follow my easy recipe here!
Quick Ġbejniet and Peas Puff Pastries
Ingredients
- 225 g fresh ġbejniet cheese feta/ricotta cheese
- 50 g parmesan
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 egg egg white in mixture, yellow to brush
- 40 g peas fresh or frozen
- handful of parsley chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Parboil the fresh or frozen peas and let them cool completely.
- In a bowl mash together the fresh ġbejniet, parmesan, garlic powder, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the egg white and peas.
- Spread the filling over the puff pastry sheet and roll it up. Press gently down on the roll to slightly flatten it out. Slice the roll into 8 pieces.
- Brush them with the egg yolk, and top them with some sesame seeds. Bake the pastries for about 25 minutes or until they have a nice golden brown colour.
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create!
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