🥬🧀 Spinach and Cheese Puff Pastry Squares

Category	Ingredient	Quantity	Notes
Base	Puff pastry	2 sheets	Thawed according to package directions.
Filling	Spinach (frozen or fresh)	1 $\frac{1}{2}$ cups	Chopped, cooked, and thoroughly squeezed dry.
	Ricotta cheese	1 cup	Or crumbled Feta cheese for a saltier flavor.
	Mozzarella cheese	$\frac{1}{2}$ cup	Shredded.
	Egg	1 large	To bind the filling.
	Garlic powder	$\frac{1}{2}$ tsp
	Salt and black pepper	To taste
Finish	Egg	1 large	Whisked with 1 tbsp water for an egg wash.
	Sesame seeds (or poppy seeds)	1 tbsp	For sprinkling on top.

If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out all excess water using a cheesecloth or paper towels. If using fresh spinach, sauté it briefly until wilted, then let it cool and squeeze out the water.
In a medium bowl, combine the squeezed spinach, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, the one whole egg (for binding), garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Mix everything thoroughly until the filling is uniform.

Preheat your oven to $400^\circ\text{F}$ ( $200^\circ\text{C}$ ). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unroll one sheet of puff pastry and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Spread the entire spinach and cheese filling mixture evenly over the top of the first pastry sheet, leaving about a $\frac{1}{2}$ -inch border around the edges (as seen in the top-left image).
Take the second sheet of puff pastry and gently place it directly over the filling, aligning the edges.

Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of the two pastry sheets together firmly (as shown in the top-right image). This prevents the filling from escaping.
Using a sharp knife, lightly score the top layer of the pastry into 9 even squares (or rectangles), ensuring you do not cut all the way through to the bottom layer. This scoring helps guide the cutting after baking and prevents the pastry from puffing up too much in the middle.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash.
Gently brush the egg wash over the entire top surface of the pastry.
Sprinkle the entire surface with sesame seeds (or poppy seeds).
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden brown, and flaky.
Let the pastry cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
Carefully cut the pastry along the scored lines into individual squares before serving warm.