Pistolettes á La Grecque

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
• 1/2 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (or cheese of your choice)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup half-and-half (milk may be substituted)
• 3 slices lean bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 12 pistolettes bread rolls
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying (optional)

Recipe

• 1 chop cooked and drained spinach in food processor; set aside.
• 2 heat bacon drippings in heavy skillet and saute onion until tender; add garlic and cook 2 minutes.
• 3 add spinach, pine nuts and feta cheese. season with salt, pepper and cayenne. stir well and heat through.
• 4 in a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
• 5 gradually add flour, stirring constantly. slowly add half-and-half and continue cooking until bubbly; taking care not to allow mixture to brown.
• 6 add spinach mixture, stir and heat until well blended.
• 7 add bacon pieces and remove from heat.
• 8 to prepare pistolettes, cut off one end, about 1/2-inch thick, and set aside.
• 9 poke a hole in the cut end of the roll using your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon.
• 10 be careful not to push the handle through the far side, causing a hole in the roll because the filling will fall out.
• 11 slowly and gently rotate the handle, pushing the inside walls of the bread toward the outside, forming a hollow shell for the filling.
• 12 spoon the spinach mixture into the opening, gently pushing down with the wooden handle. mix the remaining flour and water until a soft paste-like consistency forms.
• 13 use this "paste" to glue the end slice to the filled pistolette.
• 14 stuffed pistolettes may be baked at 400f until golden brown, or dropped into cooking oil heated to 350f until browned.
• 15 drain fried pistolettes on paper towels; serve hot.