Greek spinach rolls. Mmm, yummy.

22 June 2008

Our annual summer party is next Sunday, which means Greek spinach rolls are on the menu. We have to have them, otherwise I won’t attend. They’re a bit fiddly to make which means I make them in advance, bung them in the freezer and then defrost them and warm them up again on the day. So here, for your gastronomic delight, is the how-to for these yummy little bites.

The recipe as given in “Reader’s Digest Guide to Creative Cooking and Entertaining” makes about 80, so I halve the quantities for our party. We don’t have that many friends, you see. Though I would gladly eat the surplus. The quantities below are for the half quantity, as I don’t like to think that you have more friends than me. Because really, I’m your only friend. Aren’t I?

225g fresh spinach
butter
1/2 tbsp water
1 shallot, chopped
pinch of nutmeg
115g feta , crumbled
60g cottage cheese or ricotta
25g parmesan, grated
15g fresh parsley, chopped
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper
115g filo pastry

1. Wash and drain the spinach, then chop it coarsely.

2. Melt a lump of butter with the water in a large pan. Sauté the shallot in the butter until it becomes transparent. Add the chopped spinach and nutmeg and cook, stirring frequently, until any water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

3. Mix the feta, cottage cheese and parmesan (I used pecorino because Suzy brought me some back from Italy) together in a large bowl. Add the parsley (I didn’t have any this time. The world hasn’t ended.) and stir in the beaten egg. Add the spinach and the shallot and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Prepare the filo pastry. Sheets of filo pastry come in a variety of sizes, so you’ll need to slice yours up in the most economical way that leaves you with strips roughly 8″ long and 4″ wide. Make yourself a little stack of pieces this size and wrap the rest up again so it doesn’t dry up.

5. Melt some butter for brushing on to the strips. The amount specified in the book seemed to be fairly arbitrary, so take my advice: melt a lump and when you run out, melt some more. You’re welcome.

6. Take a strip of pastry and lay it on your work surface. Brush it with melted butter. Place a teaspoon of the spinach mixture about 1″ from one of the ends. Fold up the end to cover it and then fold over the sides. Brush again with butter and then gently roll it up to make a little parcel about 2″ x 1″. Brush with butter.

7. Now make the other 39 parcels and place them, seam side down on a lined baking sheet. Leave some space between the rolls for them to explode expand a little while baking. Bake at 220ºC / 425ºF / Gas 7 for 10-15 minutes until the rolls are plump, crisp and golden.

8. Send them to me for testing.

Click on the photo for the cooking set

12 Comments Posted in: food, photography

Comments

12 Responses to “Greek spinach rolls. Mmm, yummy.”

bethany actually
23rd June 2008 @ 12:54 am

Oh, yum! Those look delicious, and worth the headache of the phyllo dough!

Incidentally, is filo/phyllo one of the rare cases where the common British spelling is simpler than the common American spelling? I wonder.
Lauren2
23rd June 2008 @ 4:52 am

Oh they smell delicious. At least I am imagining that they do.
And Bethany….yep, I think you are right on the spelling thing. We also spell it filo, and I get confused when I see Phyllo.
Thursday
23rd June 2008 @ 8:35 am

These look delicious but sadly Joe Brown’s allergic to spinach. Oh wait, that means I can eat them ALL! Result!
Sarah
23rd June 2008 @ 9:06 am

Phyllo was how it was spelled in the book, filo was what it said on the box. My dictionary doesn’t indicate that one or the other is American or English. It’s too busy eating.

@ Thursday – are you sure that’s not just what he used to tell his mother when he was a kid?
Sonja
23rd June 2008 @ 10:56 pm

Now I’m hungry.
Wait. I’m always hungry these days.
So… I’m hungrier.
Jen
24th June 2008 @ 11:02 am

Oh dear, they really do look far too scrummy. Have just wandered here from The Life Laundry and am swooning atyour food and photos.

A bit of dribbling into one’s keyboard at work always makes the day go better.
Rayne
24th June 2008 @ 2:24 pm

Oh. Wow. These look absolutely fantastic. How do you feel about flying out to Tornado Alley and making some for me?
Lula
24th June 2008 @ 3:45 pm

What are you going to throw at me if I complain like a dirty American that you didn’t convert quantities for me? ;) Those do look spectacular, and the recipe seems lowfat enough for me! *snerk* I’m makin’ ‘em!
Lindy
24th June 2008 @ 4:02 pm

mmm can I have some?? I’ll send you my address!
Sarah
24th June 2008 @ 4:06 pm

I was waiting for one of you to start whining – and you win! Hurrah!
I can give you the amounts in ounces, but you probably want them in bushels or something.
Thursday
24th June 2008 @ 11:06 pm

No seriously, he really likes spinach but in later life found he started having breathing difficulties when he ate it. I’m bearing it in mind should he ever cheese (ricotta) me off.
Jennifer
2nd July 2008 @ 4:11 am

I am SO going to have to make these.