Crab Puff Savannah

This Savannah-style crab puff is layered like a savory baklava: sheets of buttered phyllo stacked with two distinct fillings, scored into diamonds, and baked until the top shatters when you cut into it.

The first filling combines crab meat with sauteed red bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. The second is a ricotta-spinach mixture seasoned with parsley. These two fillings alternate between layers of phyllo so every bite has both the sweet crab and the earthy greens.

Blanching the spinach and squeezing out the moisture is a step you cannot skip. Wet spinach will make the phyllo soggy from the inside out, and you’ll lose that crisp, flaky texture entirely.

Pro Tips

• Keep phyllo sheets covered with a damp towel while you work. They dry out and crack within minutes of being exposed to air.
• Score the top layers of phyllo before baking so the cuts are clean. Trying to cut through crispy baked phyllo after it comes out of the oven will shatter it.
• Chill the crab-vegetable mixture completely before assembling. Warm filling softens the phyllo layers and makes them stick together.
• Use a pastry brush to butter each phyllo sheet lightly but thoroughly, all the way to the edges.

Variations

• Shrimp version: Swap the crab for chopped cooked shrimp and add a pinch of Old Bay seasoning.
• Greek-inspired: Replace Swiss cheese with crumbled feta and add a squeeze of lemon to the spinach-ricotta layer.