Spinach & Feta Scones — ALANA SMITH

Sep 29

Sep 29 Spinach & Feta Scones

Freshly baked, these scones are light and moist, with a crunchy, buttery exterior and a fluffy, salty interior! Extra delicious with a good dollop of cream cheese and relish on top.

RECIPE NOTES: For convenience I use fresh baby spinach, but you can use regular spinach, silverbeet or frozen spinach instead. If your feta cheese is very salty, omit the additional salt in the recipe.

Makes 8 large scones

SPINACH & FETA SCONE DOUGH

spinach, 120g fresh or 70g cooked (about 1/2 cup, excess moisture having been squeezed out)

feta cheese, 100g

cheddar cheese, 100g (about 1 cup grated cheese) - a mature/aged cheddar works well

buttermilk, 160g (160ml or 2/3 cup)

plain/all-purpose flour, 300g (500ml or 2 cups) - cake wheat flour in South Africa

baking powder, 10ml (2 teaspoons)

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

fine salt, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

butter (unsalted), 100g - cold out of the fridge

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

cream cheese - 1 teaspoon per scone

relish (sundried tomato/beetroot/onion) - 1 teaspoon per scone

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. If you are using fresh spinach, blanch, steam or wilt the spinach before squeezing out excess moisture (it should weight about 70g after you have squeezed the moisture out) then chop until fine (or defrost frozen spinach before chopping fine if needed).

3. Roughly chop the feta cheese (or crumble into chunks).

4. Grate the cheddar cheese (using the coarse side of a box grater).

5. Place the buttermilk in a medium size mixing bowl, then add the chopped spinach, feta and grated cheddar and mix to combine. Set aside until needed.

6. Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then using a box grater, grate in the butter (alternatively, you can place the dry ingredients and roughly chopped butter in a food processor bowl fitted with a blade attachment).

7. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until fine and uniform (or blitz with a food processor until resembling fine crumbs, then transfer to a mixing bowl).

8. Add the buttermilk and spinach mixture, then mix using a table knife until clumpy.

9. Tip the shaggy dough onto a clean work surface and press/knead together to form a firm dough ball.

10. Dust the top and bottom of the dough with extra flour if needed, then flatten with your hands into a 3cm thick rectangle.

11. Cut the dough with a sharp knife or dough cutter into squares (about 8) before placing on the lined baking tray spaced apart.