Rotolo with ricotta and spinach

While I love going out for a nice meal or a fun event, I also need my quiet days on weekends.  I made this rotolo on one such day pottering around the house.  In the morning I baked bread, watched some political commentary on Insiders and hung out a load of laundry.  In the afternoon I watched 84 Charing Cross Road. Sylvia didn't understand how I could watch a show with such a slow moving plot.  I enjoyed the gentle beauty and wit after all the American crime drama we have been watching.

I had bought ricotta, spinach, feta and lasagna sheets because I was going to show Sylvia what cannelloni was (ie not cannoli).  Then I was reading a supermarket magazine and was reminded of past yearnings to make rotolo.  I love the look of those crispy cheesy pasta scrolls packed in together.   

I hadn't really looked at what quantities was needed for the recipe (that I had not seen before going shopping).  I didn't have enough.  But I have ways of bulking up a filling.  Though the recipe was for a ricotta and spinach filling, I added cauliflower rice, ground cashews and feta.  I liked the variety.  My only complaint was that it would have been better to cook the cauliflower rice.  The recipe called for tinned diced tomatoes but I preferred to cook a simple tomato sauce of fried onions, passata and seasoning.

The rotolo was so good when it came out of the oven, crispy and oozy cheese on top, creamy and tomatoey on the bottom.  It wasn't as quick as I had hoped but I had enough time to take it easy in the kitchen.  It reheated well over a few nights and even was good to spread on a piece of bread.  It was such a nice way to eat pasta that didn't make me feel like I was having the same old pasta again.  I look forward to making it again either for weeknight dinners or to impress a crowd.

More spinach and cheese recipes on Green Gourmet Giraffe blog:
Eccles cakes with leeks, spinach and blue cheese (v)
Palak Paneer (spinach and cheese curry) (gf)
Spinach and feta scones
Spinach and ricotta pie with filo roses
Sephardic spinach filo cigars
Stuffed cheese and spinach jumbo pasta shells
Vegan lasagne with spinach ricotta and cashew cream (v)

Cheese and Spinach Rotolo
Adapted from Woolworths Fresh Ideas magazine June 2023
Serves 4

Tomato Sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
700ml bottle of passata
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
drop of maple syrup
good pinch of salt
good grinding of black pepper

Fry onion and garlic in oil for 5-10 minutes in a smallish saucepan until soft and beginning to brown.  Pour in passata and a little water to swish out the remains of the passata from the botttom.  Add balsamic vinegar, maple syrup,  and seasonings.  Check and adjust seasonings to taste.  Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Cheese and Spinach Filling:

250 frozen spinach (I box)
250g cauliflower, riced
250g ricotta
75g roasted and salted cashew nuts, ground
75g feta cheese crumbled
2 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup grated cheese
Seasoning

Cook cauliflower rice in microwave until soft. Add to spinach and squeeze (in a clean teatowel) as much liquid as possible from vegetables. Discard liquid (or use for soups and stews) and mix vegetables with the remaining filling ingredients.

To assemble:

4 x fresh lasagna sheets (approx 185g)
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup grated cheese

Pour about half the tomato sauce in a 24cm diameter baking dish.

Spread a lasagna sheet with 1 tbsp tomato paste.  Spoon 1/4 of the cheese and spinach mixture onto the lasagna sheet over the tomato paste.  Roll up from long side.  Cut into 6 shorter tubes and place in the casserole dish with the pasta swirl facing up.  Repeat with the rest of the lasagna sheets.  

Pour the rest of the sauce over the cracks between the pasta roll ups.  Sprinkle with about 1 cup cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes at 200 C or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Listening to:
The tin hut that's still standing - interview with Dr John Patterson from Darwin on ABC RN Conversations 6 July 2023.