Chicken in Puff Pastry with Spinach

Pastry & chicken:

• •2 packs chicken breast fillets — butterfly each to even thickness; do not pound or smash
• •2 packs puff pastry (2 × 300 g)
• •2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• •1 small handful wild garlic (ramsons), chopped
• •1 whole egg
• •2 tbsp milk
• •2 large tbsp butter for the chicken marinade (+ more butter for the carrots)
• •1/2 tsp salt (plus about 1/4 tsp for spinach and a pinch for carrots)
• •1/2 tsp black pepper (plus about 1/4 tsp for spinach and a pinch for carrots)
• •1 tsp dried oregano
• •1 tsp sweet paprika
• •About 400 g frozen baby carrots
• •1–2 tbsp honey (for the carrots)
• •A few rosemary sprigs or 1 tsp dried rosemary (for the carrots)

Spinach filling:

• •900 g frozen spinach balls (2 × 450 g); cook until water evaporates — you want little liquid, about 700 g filling mass when fairly dry
• •150 g feta cheese, diced
• •50 g extra white cheese (soft goat or blue), diced
• •1/3 nutmeg “ball”, freshly grated (or a good pinch of ground nutmeg)

Spinach filling:

1. Put all frozen spinach in a wide pan on medium heat. Let the water evaporate — add almost no extra water; stir until the spinach is fairly dry.

2. Season the spinach with about 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and grated nutmeg. Fold in diced feta and the second cheese and mix well.

Pastry & chicken:

1. Rinse chicken if you like, then butterfly each breast into two large pieces of even thickness. Do not flatten with a mallet.

2. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp oregano; rub evenly.

3. Melt the larger amount of butter with grated garlic and chopped wild garlic. Gently coat the chicken in this mixture and let it absorb the flavour (generous butter, not extra oil).

4. In a pan over gentle heat, barely colour the chicken on both sides — very light sear only. Do not drop it onto the pan or crowd the pan.

5. Roll out the puff pastry. Lay the chicken on the dough, spread the spinach–cheese filling on top, and dust with sweet paprika.

6. Cover with the second sheet (or fold the edges), press seams closed, and score the top in a shallow crosshatch.

7. Beat egg with milk and brush the whole pastry.

8. Bake at 200°C for about 35 minutes until deep golden and the chicken is cooked through.

9. Carrots: cook the frozen baby carrots slowly in butter with honey, rosemary, and a little salt and pepper until glazed and caramelised. Serve alongside the pastry.

Photos from the process.