Spiral puff pastry tart with ricotta and spinach: a fridge-cleaner savory pie
Soft puff pastry or leaking filling? Here’s how to seal your spiral
The main issue with spiral savory tarts, like this revisited Borek, is managing the filling’s moisture.
Often you end up with a soggy, rubbery pastry base or, worse, cylinders that open during baking and let the cheese run everywhere.
You worked to shape it perfectly and then once in the oven it turns into a shapeless mass …
In this recipe we solve the problem with a critical step: a “double sealing” of the edges using egg yolk and moving the baking tray halfway through baking.
Using well-drained spinach and good-quality ricotta (try sheep-mix for a more intense flavor) guarantees a dry yet creamy interior.
Follow the recipe step by step and you’ll get a well-defined, golden and very crispy spiral, perfect for any occasion.
Puff Pastry Borek with Ricotta and Spinach: The Crispy Spiral Roll
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: baking pan 9 in
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Spiral Puff Pastry Tart
- 1 puff pastry (1 rectangular sheet)
- 1 cup ricotta (cow or mixed sheep (for a stronger flavor))
- 5 oz spinach, frozen (thawed and well-drained (about 1 1/2 cups))
- 1 egg (1 whole)
- 1.4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated (about 1/3 cup))
- salt (to taste)
- 1 egg yolk
- sesame seeds (to taste)
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Pot
- Strainer
- Bowl
- Baking pan
- Pastry brush
How to prepare the Spiral Puff Pastry 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 every trace of 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 get a homogeneous filling.
Unroll the rectangular sheet of puff pastry. With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, divide it into three equal rectangular strips by cutting along the longer side. Place one third of the filling along the center of each strip.
Brush the long edges of the strips with the beaten egg yolk. Roll the pastry over the filling to form three long cylinders and press the edges firmly with your fingers to seal so the filling doesn’t escape during baking.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Start from the center: roll the first strip into a snail shape. 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 convection 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 saltiness, but cow ricotta works fine for a milder taste.
Spinach: Be sure to weigh them after squeezing them very well; residual water is the enemy of the puff pastry.
Recipe Variations
Fridge-cleaner: You can replace ricotta with robiola and add smoked salmon, or use cooked ham, scamorza and peas.
Gourmet: Try the 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 slices: to reheat, warm them for a few minutes in a hot oven (avoid the microwave to preserve crispness).
Tips
The importance of resting: Let the roll cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing; this allows the filling to set and gives clean, neat slices.
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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 was the puff pastry undercooked?
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 egg yolk and baking only at the last moment.
