We all know stuffed pockets; they are a kind of crescent-shaped pastry, a product of a well-known food brand, with a dough derived from choux pastry. They are usually filled with melted cheese, but various versions can be found nowadays, such as those with tomato and mozzarella, mushrooms, or cooked ham. They can be enjoyed fried or baked and can be considered a main course, although I would place them more in the street food category, as a treat to pair with an aperitif or as finger food. I find them truly fantastic, especially those with vegetables, my favorites naturally. However, lately, I haven’t found them as often while shopping, or at least not the ones my husband and I like the most! So I wondered how wonderful it would be to reproduce them directly at home with just the ingredients available! And the answer is that not only is it really fun to make them, but it’s also incredibly easy! I filled them with spinach because it’s one of the versions I love most, and instead of the béchamel and mozzarella filling, I chose asiago and robiola. But of course, the keyword is creativity, so let your ideas flow and get into the kitchen to bring them to life! The quantities are for about ten stuffed pockets, but you can double the ingredients if you have unexpected guests! They keep for a couple of days and are indescribably delicious! You absolutely have to try them!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: Approximately 9 stuffed pockets
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 4.4 oz type 1 flour (or all-purpose)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6.3 oz baby spinach
- 1.8 oz robiola cheese
- 1.8 oz asiago cheese (or pizza mozzarella)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk (+ to taste)
- to taste breadcrumbs
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Pan
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Scissors
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Pastry cutter
Steps
To prepare the stuffed pockets, start with the filling. After washing the baby spinach under running water, let them wilt for 5 minutes in a pan with a garlic clove, a couple of swirls of oil, and their own natural water (fig. 1).
Adjust the salt, turn off the heat, and drain well in a strainer (fig. 2).
In a saucepan, melt the butter with the milk over low heat (fig. 3).
Once melted, add the flour and salt and start stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to absorb the liquid ingredients (fig. 4).
After a few minutes, the mixture will begin to pull away from the sides of the saucepan and become compact (fig. 5).
Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and let it cool slightly (fig. 6).
Once warm, knead the mixture until you get a firm and homogeneous dough. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (fig. 7).
After this time, still on the floured surface, roll out a thin sheet with the help of a rolling pin (fig. 8).
Cut out discs with a diameter of 4 inches using a pastry cutter or a cup (fig. 9).
It is important that the discs are 1/8 inch thick to allow for proper cooking (fig. 10).
Mix the well-drained spinach with the robiola and the asiago cheese cut into cubes, then fill each dough disc with a teaspoon of this mixture and lightly brush the edges with a little milk (fig. 11).
Fold them over themselves to form a half-moon (fig. 12).
Seal the edges with the tines of a fork and continue until all the ingredients are used up (fig. 13).
Then dip the stuffed pockets first in a beaten egg with a little milk and a pinch of salt (fig. 14).
Next, dip them in breadcrumbs* (fig. 15).
Place the stuffed pockets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper** and drizzle the surface with a swirl of oil (fig. 16).
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 20 minutes, then turn them and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.
And voilà… homemade spinach and robiola stuffed pockets are ready to enjoy.
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 You can store homemade stuffed pockets in the fridge in appropriate containers for up to 1-2 days. When ready to eat, heat them for a couple of minutes in the microwave or in a preheated oven.
Tips
🟣 * For the breading, you can also use herb-flavored breadcrumbs like I did, for a more tantalizing version.
🟣** For those with a sweet tooth, you can fry the stuffed pockets instead of baking them. In this case, use plenty of oil for frying, or cook them in an air fryer at 356°F for 8-10 minutes.
