Spinach & Ricotta Rolls

Recipe courtesy of; ‘How I’ve Kept the Weight Off’ by Anna Van Dyken, Published by Macmillan, RRP $39.99, Photography by Jeremy Simons

I’ve always loved sausage rolls, but I particularly enjoy this combination – it reminds me of my mum. She used to make a similar recipe when I was at school, and coming home to the smell of them in the oven was always a welcome treat.

Makes 36 | Prep 20min | Cook 35min

Ingredients:

400 g reduced-fat ricotta cheese
250 g baby spinach, finely chopped
5 green shallots, finely chopped
1 egg
1⁄2 cup (40 g) grated parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh at-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 sheets frozen reduced-fat puff pastry, thawed 1 tablespoon skim milk
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Method:

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

2 Combine ricotta, spinach, shallots, egg, parmesan, parsley and lemon zest in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

3 Cut each pastry sheet in half lengthways to create 6 rectangles. Spoon one-sixth of the ricotta mixture down the long edge of each pastry rectangle and roll to enclose filling. Cut each roll into 6 slices to make 36 rolls in total. Place on the trays, seam-sides down. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden.