Spinach Puffs

Whenever I need an appetizer for a party that I know will be easy, impressive, and a total crowd-pleaser, I turn to puff pastry. These sheets of buttery, flaky dough are endlessly versatile, bake up beautifully golden every time, and can be found in the freezer section of any grocery store.

In past years, I’ve made Brie Bites, Cranberry Brie Bites, Ham and Cheese Pinwheels, and Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites, and while those all have been hits, today’s Spinach Puffs might be the greatest of them all.The puffs’ filling is inspired by one of the most revered appetizers of our time: spinach dip. It’s a quick, ever-delicious combo of cream cheese, spinach. The Spinach Puffs are creamy on the inside, buttery and flaky on the outside, and the touch of feta, bacon, and garlic in the filling makes them unquestionably addictive.

Ingredients:

4 strips thick-cut bacon

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese Neufchâtel, cut into large pieces

2 large eggs divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

10 ounces frozen spinach (1 package) thawed and thoroughly pressed dry

1/2 cup crumbled feta about 2 ounces

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan about 1 ounce

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (9- or 10-inch) thawed overnight in the refrigerator (I like Pepperidge Farm)