Leek and Feta Puff Pastry Cup Appetizers

4.72 from 7 votes

Leek and feta puff pastry cup appetizers are savory, satisfying, two-bite wonders. They pair beautifully with wine, cocktails, and beer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Snacks and Starters

Cuisine: American

Keyword: puff pastry cup appetizers, puff pastry cups

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Defrost the puff pastry according to package instructions — typically in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Trim the root end and the dark green leaves from the leeks and discard. Slice the remaining white and light green parts in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into thin half-moons. Place in a colander and rinse thoroughly, being sure to remove any sand and grit. Shake off any excess water.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
Add leeks, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Cook, stirring from time to time to prevent browning, until tender and reduced in volume by half, 5-10 minutes.
Stir in cream and nutmeg and continue to cook until cream is thick enough to coat leeks without leaving liquid in the pan, about five minutes more.
Remove from heat and stir in feta.
Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and flour the top, too.
Roll it out gently with a rolling pin until it grows by 2-3 inches horizontally and vertically.
Cut it into quarters, and then cut each quarter into six equal rectangles. Tuck each rectangle in to a mini muffin cup.
Spoon a small amount of leek filling into each prepared muffin cup, dividing evenly.
In a small bowl, beat egg and water together with a fork to make an egg wash.
Brush each pastry cup (including filling) with a little bit of egg wash.
Bake for 20 minutes, until pastry is nicely browned. Serve warm.

Dufour is my favorite brand of puff pastry by far. It's just so much more buttery and delicious than any other brand I've tried. (Plus, the company is proudly run by women.) That said, it’s more expensive and sometimes less available than supermarket brands. You can use whatever brand you like. Dufour comes in a 14-ounce package that's a single sheet. Some other brands come in a 17-ounce package that contains two sheets. Either is fine.
I like to use a mild, cow's milk feta — I buy the big block that Whole Foods brand sells in a tub packed in brine. Or try substituting fresh goat cheese for another great variation.
You can prep the entire recipe up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly right in the muffin tin, and keep in a nice cold fridge. Bake them just before serving.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Reheat and re-crisp at 325°F in the oven or toaster oven.
To freeze before baking, Cover the muffin tin tightly and place the whole thing in the freezer until bites are frozen solid. Transfer bites to an airtight container and keep frozen for up to a year. When ready to bake, transfer back to muffin tin and
bake straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
To freeze after baking, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat and re-crisp at 325°F in the oven or toaster oven.