Please consult the OU's guidelines for checking fruits and vegetables.

Spinach and Cheddar Puff (dairy)
Spinach and Cheddar Puff (dairy) Eileen Goltz. | Dairy

Spinach and other insect prone vegetables are not made permissible by the freezing process. These vegetables should only be purchased when bearing proper certification. Uncertified frozen varieties such as asparagus, broccoli and spinach are most difficult to check thoroughly. They are therefore not recommended.

Fresh spinach tends to be highly infested with insects small insects throughout the year. Please check “Special Instructions” below for information on how inspect spinach for infestation.


1/2 17 1/4-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup half and half
3 eggs
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed drained
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Preheat oven to 425. Roll puff pastry to 11-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch diameter glass pie plate. Trim edges. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in half and half and eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. 

Fresh Spinach and Infestation Inspection: Spinach tends to be highly infested throughout the year. Light green thrips are often found in the small curls of the leaves. Occasionally, worms may be found in burrows within the body of the leaf. Look for a narrow (1/8_) translucent burrow speckled with black dots breaking up the deep green color of the leaf. These burrows will often trap the worm within the leaf. To rid the leaf of these worms, carefully slit the bumpy part within the burrow with a sharp knife and remove the worm. Please note Only flat leaf spinach is recommended because its flat surface lends itself to efficient washing. Curly leaf spinach is difficult to clean and check. It is therefore not recommended. Spinach Inspection: 1. Soak leaves in a solution of cold water and vegetable wash. The proper amount of vegetable wash has been added when some bubbles are observed in the water. (In the absence of vegetable wash, several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent may be used. However, for health reasons, care must be taken to thoroughly rinse off the soapy solution.) 2. Separate spinach leaves and agitate in the soapy solution. 3. Using a heavy stream of water or a power hose, remove all foreign matter and soap from the leaf surface. Alternatively, a vegetable brush may be used on both sides of the leaf. 4. Several leaves should be checked over a light box or under strong overhead light to verify that the washing procedure has been effective. Both sides of the leaf must be checked. 5. If it is practical, it is best to check each leaf.
Serves 6.