Flaky Ricotta Rolls

Makes 24 bite sized rolls

‘21st century sausage rolls’ - perfect when you feel like an alternative to a sausage roll. Gluten free if you use a gluten free pastry.

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
150g spinach, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
150g butternut squash, roasted and cubed (1cm cubes approx)
A tub of ricotta (approx 250g)
Finely grated lemon rind from one lemon
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (optional)
25g parmesan, finely grated
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g puff pastry, either homemade or ready made
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, black sesame seeds or dried herbs (optional)

Method

First take the pastry out of the fridge if necessary. Make the filling by heating the oil in a medium sized pan, cooking the onion until soft on the simmering plate or the floor of the roasting oven, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for 5 mins then add the spinach. Cook for a further 3 - 5 minutes until wilted. Move to the boiling plate briefly to cook off the juices, the mixture should be quite dry.

Put the roasted squash, ricotta, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, parmesan, salt and pepper and in a large bowl, mix together and add the cooled spinach mixture. Roll out into a rectangle shape, approx 35cm x 25cms, if necessary. Cut into two pieces along the length of the rectangle. Take one piece and place half the mixture along one edge of the pastry, shaping into a long thin log the full length of the long side. Roll to enclose the filling, brushing the final edge with beaten egg before closing to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds or herbs (optional). Chill for 15 mins then cut into bite-sized rolls.

Place on a baking tray and bake in the AGA roasting oven for 25 minutes then allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving, or cool and serve cold. Or cook and freeze for later.

Tips: to roast the butternut squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and cook in the roasting oven for 45 - 60 mins until tender. Leave the skin on and then just cut into small cubes to use in the recipe. If you are short on time, just grate some raw squash and cook along with the garlic. The recipe can be made in advance as far as shaping into logs and frozen. Bake straight from frozen, allowing 30 minutes or until the rolls are browned.