Rugelach are Eastern European cookies traditionally made with sweet fillings. My twist features the classic Mediterranean combination of spinach and feta (featuring the Betta Feta by Hillsborough Cheese Co.). The dough works best when made in a food processor, but can be made by kneading the ingredients together by hand. It is very sticky dough and will need to be thoroughly chilled before it can be shaped. If you can roll out a pie crust and slice a pizza, you will have an easy time at shaping these extraordinary appetizers.

Makes 38 rugelach

For the dough:

1½ cups all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
8 ounces cream cheese, chilled and cubed
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
chilled and cubed

For the filling:

6 cups (tightly packed) fresh spinach leaves
3 grated garlic cloves
½ cup pine nuts
6 large mint leaves
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup finely crumbled Betta Feta (by Hillsborough
Cheese Co.)

Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour and salt. Pulse for 20 seconds or until combined. Add the cream cheese and butter, and pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball. Remove dough from processor and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic, pressing down to form 2 discs. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours). Make the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the spinach, garlic, pine nuts, mint, olive oil, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Pulse, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour a clean working surface and roll each disc into a 14- inch circle. Spread ¼ cup of pesto onto each circle, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges; dot with the crumbled Feta cheese. With a knife or pastry wheel (or pizza wheel), slice each circle into 14 slices as if you were slicing a pizza, into triangles. Starting at the outer end of the circle, roll each slice into the middle, forming a crescent. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Bake cookies for 18 to 20 minutes or until cookies are golden. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes.

Serve warm.

NOTE: Cookies may be frozen at this point by placing them on baking sheets in the freezer for 1 hour. Then, place in layers, separated with parchment paper, in freezer boxes for up to 3 months. They can also be frozen and stored in the same manner when unbaked; bake according to recipe, adding a few more minutes to the baking time.

NOTE: Leftover spinach pesto is delicious as a filling for omelets made with fresh eggs, as a tasty sandwich spread or tossed into hot pasta.