This recipe was born from already cooked spinach I had left over after preparing a side dish and a big omelet. They were still perfect and I hated to leave them there. While passing by the Aldi supermarket near my home I found a pack of phyllo pastry and decided to use it to prepare these large swirls, more like a single-serving savory tart than an appetizer.
Inside I put only spinach, ricotta and Grana, without eggs. I used two phyllo sheets, simply brushed with a little water, then rolled everything up and formed the swirls. Before baking I only brushed them with water and oil and finished with poppy seeds.
They were the savory snack of an afternoon, simple but really tasty.
Filling variations
This base is very versatile and lends itself well to small tweaks using what you have in the fridge.
With cream cheese
Replace half the ricotta with cream cheese for a softer, more enveloping filling.
With robiola
Use robiola instead of ricotta for a slightly stronger flavor and a creamier texture.
With mascarpone
Replace about a third of the ricotta with mascarpone for a richer, more delicate result.
With cooked ham
Add small diced cooked ham to the basic spinach and ricotta filling, but don’t overdo the quantity so as not to weigh down the phyllo.
More flavorful vegetarian version
Add a handful of extra grated cheese or a few thin shavings inside, such as raspadura.
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I also have a free WhatsApp channel with one sweet and one savory recipe every day: click and subscribe → https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 sheets phyllo pastry
- 4 oz cooked spinach (well squeezed to remove excess water)
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1/3 cup grated Grana Padano
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- as needed water (to be mixed with the oil and brushed onto the savory swirls)
Tools
- Parchment paper
- Brushes
Steps
Place in a bowl the already cooked spinach, well squeezed, the ricotta and the grated Grana.
Season with salt and pepper and mix until you obtain a creamy, homogeneous filling.
Take one sheet of phyllo pastry, brush it lightly with a little water and place a second sheet on top, pressing so they adhere well.
In this way the savory filled swirl will be more compact and crisp.
Fill a piping bag with the filling and pipe a long strip along the longest side of the phyllo sheet phyllo.Roll slowly to form a cylinder, then wrap it around itself to obtain one or two swirls.
Place the savory swirls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a small bowl mix water and oil, brush well over the surface and finish with a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
Bake in a conventional oven at 356°F and cook for 30–35 minutes, until the swirls are well golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
These spinach and ricotta filled spirals can also be, if made smaller, a very easy appetizer!
Enjoy your meal! Annalisa
SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES WITH RICOTTA → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/ricette-con-la-ricotta/
Storage
The phyllo swirls filled with ricotta, Grana and boiled spinach keep well once cooked.
In the refrigerator: for up to 2 days, stored in an airtight container.
Reheating: warm them in a hot oven at 338–356°F for 8–10 minutes to bring back crispness to the phyllo.
Microwave not recommended, as it makes the phyllo soggy and… bleh!
Freezing: possible when raw, already formed and well spaced; then bake directly from frozen, slightly lengthening the cooking time.
