Ricotta and spinach parcels
- 1 large sheet frozen puff pastry, just thawed (approximately 375g) such as ‘Careme All Butter Puff Pastry’
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 400g frozen spinach, thawed, excess liquid removed
- 375g ricotta
- ¼ cup (25g) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (alternatively, use Grana Padano), finely grated
- Freshly grated nutmeg (see note in step 3
- 1 egg yolk
- Sea salt
Preheat oven to 200°C conventional oven/ 180°C fan-forced (400° Fahrenheit/Gas 6). Line a large shallow baking tray with baking paper.
Tip: This recipe works best with the conventional oven setting (not fan-forced) for perfectly golden parcels.
Place the olive oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and toss for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Place the cooked spinach into a mesh strainer. Use the back of a ladle to press down and strain the liquid from the spinach. Alternatively, squeeze the spinach with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the spinach aside to cool slightly.
To make the filling, place the ricotta in a large bowl. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padana), freshly grated nutmeg (see note in Step 3) and salt to taste. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the spinach and mix until combined.
Note: I have used whole nutmeg which is freshly grated for this recipe. Grating your own nutmeg is not only very easy to do however you get more vitamins than from already ground. If freshly grated nutmeg is not an option, substitute it for ground nutmeg in the recipe.
Unroll the puff pastry onto a clean work surface. Use a pastry wheel (alternatively, use a knife) to cut the puff pastry into 12 squares. My parcels were approximately 10cm x 10cm which is almost 4-inches by 4-inches each.
Place a heaped tablespoon of the filling in the middle of each puff pastry square. Fold each of the corners toward the centre to partially enclose the filling and create a seal by pressing on top.
Tip: These can be prepared (without the brushing of egg yolk) and refrigerated ahead of time and then baked while guests arrive which is perfect for entertaining!
Use a fork to lightly beat the egg yolk into a small bowl. Brush the Ricotta and spinach parcels with the beaten egg yolk and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly before serving – buon appetito!
