Spinach, Lentil, and Feta Dumplings
As we head into the busy holiday season, I'm always looking for new ways to nibble while entertaining. These bite-sized spinach, lentil, and feta dumplings come together easily, feed a crowd, and are packed with pleasing Mediterranean flavor. Serve them as guests arrive for a surprising hors d’oeuvres or make a batch for easy lunches and snacks throughout the week. These are not your grandmother’s canapés. A little rustic, a little playful. They’re packed with earthy, tangy flavor and a hint of heat. In other words, they’re just the thing to get the party started.
Is it a dumpling? A hand pie? A very small spanakopita? The filling here borrows from Greek cooking, with sharp feta and wilted greens, while the half-moon shape and pre-cut wrappers come straight from the dumpling playbook. Baking them instead of steaming situates them somewhere between a potsticker and a börek, with a crisp, golden shell and a savory center.
I’ve loved finding new uses for Melissa’s Wonton Wrappers, and they are truly the unsung hero of this recipe. Keep your wrappers under a damp towel as you work, and you’ll have 52 dumplings filled in no time.
Melissa’s Organic Steamed Lentils continue to make cooking nutritious, great-tasting dishes a breeze. Their dense, earthy, and nutty flavor takes the place of meat easily, and their texture holds beautifully, giving the filling some bite. The shallots and Fresno peppers, softened in olive oil, add gentle sweetness and color. For the greens, spinach is the easy choice, but Tung Ho Chrysanthemum Leaves make a wonderful alternative — a little more herbal and slightly bitter. Note: Chrysanthemum leaves wilt less quickly, so plan to sauté them a bit longer.
Two steps make or break these dumplings. First, the cooked greens need to release as much water as possible. Wet filling means soggy, torn wrappers, and no amount of oven time will fix it. Second, let the filling cool slightly before folding in the feta, so it stays crumbly instead of melting out the sides. From there, use a scant tablespoon of filling, and seal the edges with a dab of water, pressing out the air as you go. It's tempting to overfill your dumpling wrappers, but resist.
The right finishing touches will make these dumplings look festive and as good as they taste. A brush of egg wash gives them that lacquered, deep golden top, and a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds adds nutty crunch. Brushing oil on the pan and any bare wrapper helps the bottoms and edges brown evenly.
Serve these as is, or with a lemony yogurt sauce with mint. Or, go a different direction with a spoonful of chili crisp.
Dumplings of all flavors freeze beautifully. Freeze them unbaked on a tray, then bag them and bake straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes. You'll always be ready for a crowd!
Spinach, Lentil and Feta Dumplings
Ingredients
1 pound fresh spinach, Tung Ho Chrysanthemum Leaves, tough stems removed
2-3 medium shallots, finely minced
2 Fresno peppers, seeds removed, finely diced
1 bunch fresh dill, split
4 Tbsp. EVOO, split
1 package Melissa’s Organic Steamed Lentils
4 ounces feta, crumbled
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, to taste
Rainbow Peppercorns, to taste
1 package Melissa’s Wonton Wrappers
2 large eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds (white, black, or mixed)
Directions
Rinse, dry, and chop your greens.
Heat a wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add greens and cook down until moisture releases, about 5-7 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add minced shallots and diced pepper, and cook until soft and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add chopped dill to taste, and stir.
Cut heat, and stir lentils into the spinach mixture. Allow to cool slightly before adding feta, and gently stir. Season mixture to taste.
Heat oven to 400°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush each sheet lightly with remaining olive oil. Meanwhile, make your dumplings. Place a scant tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Dab a fingertip of water around half the edge, fold into a half-moon, and press out the air as you seal. Press the edges firmly or crimp with a fork. Overfilling is the number one cause of bursting, so err on the small side. Set each dumpling on a pan with space between.
Brush the tops of each dumpling with the egg wash, then sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, watching not to burn, rotating your pans halfway to ensure even cooking. Cook until deep golden and the edges are crisp. Allow dumplings to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Store cooked dumplings in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Uncooked dumplings can be frozen for longer storage.
