Oct 18, 2023 One of the most memorable days on my Greece trip this year was actually the day I took a cooking class in Athens. I had 3 days of solo travel in Athens while Sarvesh was in Cairo and while I did visit some of the important historical sites, I have to say that the cooking class was what I enjoyed the most. Learning how to cook authentic Greek food from a local with a bunch of other travelers was just what made my heart sing. We made a few dishes during the class and while I loved it all, I think Spanakopita was my favorite. If you are not familiar with spanakopita, it’s basically a spinach pie with made spinach and feta cheese using phyllo pastry. During the class, we were given phyllo sheets made by a local in Athens and trust me when I say this, they were so easy to work with (unlike the store bought sheets we get in the US)! Inspired by the Spanakopita that I made in Greece, I came up with these Palak Paneer Spanakopita Rolls. I actually thought of making these with paneer during the class only, and once I was back home, I couldn’t wait to recreate them. We made large spirals there but here I made rolls which are easier for entertaining. With the festive season around the corner, this would be great for parties and get together.
Ingredients
Phyllo Sheets: I find “Athens” brand phyllo sheets at grocery stores here and so that’s what I have used in this recipe. They are in the freezer section along with puff pastry sheets etc. You can use any brand you find at your grocery store. Paneer: Homemade paneer works great here but you can also use store-bought paneer. Make sure to place it in warm water for 20 minutes and then use in the recipe if you are using store-bought paneer. Spinach: You can use either baby spinach or regular spinach. But you need to chop it really fine for this recipe. Butter/Ghee: Each phyllo sheet has to be brushed with melted butter or ghee. You can use either of the two. Seasonings & Herbs: This recipe needs fresh herbs like mint and parsley (flat leaf parsley), you may substitute with dried herbs but fresh is highly recommended. To give these rolls Indian touch, I have also used coriander powder, garam masala and some cumin seeds in the filling.
How to Make Palak Paneer Rolls
Make Ahead Option
These Paneer Spanakopita Rolls are a great make ahead option for holiday parties. You can make the filling 1 to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated. Thaw the phyllo sheets and fill and bake them on the day of the party. You can also make the entire rolls, cut, fill and shape them and then place them in the freezer in a freezer safe bag. Bake them straight from the freezer, they would need a few additional minutes of baking if you do this.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve the rolls with ketchup or mint chutney or a spicy mayo. You can even serve these with a yogurt based dip like tzatziki.
More Paneer Fusion Recipes
I have shared many fusion recipes with paneer over the years. Here are some more that you can check out!
Paneer Nachos
Whipped Paneer Dip with Spicy Honey
Vegetable & Paneer Lasagna (Indian Style Lasagna)
Schezwan Paneer Momos
title: “Palak Paneer Spanakopita Rolls " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-30” author: “Katherine Washington”
Oct 18, 2023 One of the most memorable days on my Greece trip this year was actually the day I took a cooking class in Athens. I had 3 days of solo travel in Athens while Sarvesh was in Cairo and while I did visit some of the important historical sites, I have to say that the cooking class was what I enjoyed the most. Learning how to cook authentic Greek food from a local with a bunch of other travelers was just what made my heart sing. We made a few dishes during the class and while I loved it all, I think Spanakopita was my favorite. If you are not familiar with spanakopita, it’s basically a spinach pie with made spinach and feta cheese using phyllo pastry. During the class, we were given phyllo sheets made by a local in Athens and trust me when I say this, they were so easy to work with (unlike the store bought sheets we get in the US)! Inspired by the Spanakopita that I made in Greece, I came up with these Palak Paneer Spanakopita Rolls. I actually thought of making these with paneer during the class only, and once I was back home, I couldn’t wait to recreate them. We made large spirals there but here I made rolls which are easier for entertaining. With the festive season around the corner, this would be great for parties and get together.
Ingredients
Phyllo Sheets: I find “Athens” brand phyllo sheets at grocery stores here and so that’s what I have used in this recipe. They are in the freezer section along with puff pastry sheets etc. You can use any brand you find at your grocery store. Paneer: Homemade paneer works great here but you can also use store-bought paneer. Make sure to place it in warm water for 20 minutes and then use in the recipe if you are using store-bought paneer. Spinach: You can use either baby spinach or regular spinach. But you need to chop it really fine for this recipe. Butter/Ghee: Each phyllo sheet has to be brushed with melted butter or ghee. You can use either of the two. Seasonings & Herbs: This recipe needs fresh herbs like mint and parsley (flat leaf parsley), you may substitute with dried herbs but fresh is highly recommended. To give these rolls Indian touch, I have also used coriander powder, garam masala and some cumin seeds in the filling.
How to Make Palak Paneer Rolls
Make Ahead Option
These Paneer Spanakopita Rolls are a great make ahead option for holiday parties. You can make the filling 1 to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated. Thaw the phyllo sheets and fill and bake them on the day of the party. You can also make the entire rolls, cut, fill and shape them and then place them in the freezer in a freezer safe bag. Bake them straight from the freezer, they would need a few additional minutes of baking if you do this.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve the rolls with ketchup or mint chutney or a spicy mayo. You can even serve these with a yogurt based dip like tzatziki.
More Paneer Fusion Recipes
I have shared many fusion recipes with paneer over the years. Here are some more that you can check out!
Paneer Nachos
Whipped Paneer Dip with Spicy Honey
Vegetable & Paneer Lasagna (Indian Style Lasagna)
Schezwan Paneer Momos
