Puff pastry spiral tart with ricotta and spinach: a fridge-cleanup savory
Ricotta and Spinach Puff Pastry Burek: The Crispy Spiral Roll
Soft pastry or oozing filling? Here’s how to seal your spiral
The main issue with spiral savory tarts, like this revisited Burek, is handling the filling’s moisture.
Often you end up with a soggy, rubbery pastry base or, worse, cylinders that open while baking and let cheese ooze everywhere.
You worked to shape it perfectly and then in the oven it becomes a shapeless mess…
In this recipe we solve the problem with a critical step: the “double sealing” of the edges using egg yolk and moving the baking tray halfway through baking.
Using well-squeezed spinach and good-quality ricotta (sheep-mix ricotta for a more intense flavor) guarantees a dry yet velvety interior.
Follow the recipe step by step and you’ll get a defined, golden and super-crispy spiral, perfect for any occasion.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 22 cm baking pan (about 9 in)
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the puff pastry spiral tart
- 1 puff pastry (1 rectangular sheet)
- 1 cup ricotta (cow's or mixed sheep (about 250 g / 8.8 oz))
- 5.3 oz frozen spinach (thawed (squeezed))
- 1 egg (1 whole)
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated (about 40 g / 1.4 oz))
- salt (to taste)
- 1 yolk
- sesame seeds (to taste)
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Pot
- Strainer
- Bowl
- Baking tray
- Brush
How to prepare the puff pastry spiral tart with ricotta and spinach
Boil the spinach in a little salted water, drain and let them cool completely. Once cold, squeeze them firmly with your hands to remove any remaining water. In a bowl, combine the spinach with the ricotta, add the slightly beaten egg, the Parmesan and a pinch of salt. Mix until you obtain a homogeneous filling.
Roll out the rectangular sheet of puff pastry. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, divide it into three equal rectangular strips by cutting along the longer side. Place one-third of the filling lengthwise along the center of each strip.
Brush the long edges of the strips with the beaten yolk. Roll the pastry over the filling forming three long cylinders and seal the edges well by pressing with your fingers so the filling doesn’t leak during baking.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Start from the center: roll the first strip onto itself like a snail. Take the second strip and wrap it around the first, then do the same with the third strip, continuing the spiral until you form a large roll.
Brush the surface with the remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated fan-assisted oven at 356°F for 25-30 minutes. My tip: halfway through baking, move the tray to the lower part of the oven to ensure the base becomes as crispy as the top.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Ricotta: I recommend mixed sheep ricotta for its stronger savory flavor, but cow’s ricotta works well for a milder taste.
Spinach: Make sure to weigh/measure them after squeezing them very well; residual water is the enemy of puff pastry.
Recipe Variations
Fridge-cleanup: You can swap ricotta for robiola and add smoked salmon, or use cooked ham, scamorza and peas.
Gourmet: Try a version with gorgonzola, walnuts and finely chopped radicchio.
Storage
Once baked, store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. You can freeze sliced portions: to reheat, warm them a few minutes in a hot oven (avoid the microwave to preserve crispness).
Tips
The importance of resting: Let the spiral cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing; this allows the filling to set and gives a clean slice.
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Can I use round puff pastry?
Yes, but you’ll get strips of different lengths and the spiral will be slightly more irregular to assemble.
Why did the pastry underneath remain raw?
This happens if the filling is too wet or if the tray is too close to the top of the oven. Follow the tip to move the tray halfway through baking!
Can I prepare it in advance?
You can assemble the spiral and keep it in the fridge, but I recommend brushing it with the yolk and baking it only at the last moment.
