Sunday, February 22, 2015

Salmon, Spinach, Ricotta Puff Pastry

Amazing Presentation and Melt in Your Mouth -  that's how I describe this dish. Try it on that special occasion.
If you like salmon and spinach, you could also try the Salmon Roulade on page 114 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Salmon, Spinach, Ricotta Puff Pastry
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
550g fresh spinach leaves
1 handful raisins
75g pine nuts, toasted
200g ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
12 sheets filo pastry
30g butter, melted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and sweat gently for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and cook for a few seconds more until the garlic turns white. 

Tip in the spinach, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes until it wilts. Season well with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat, stir through the raisins and pine nuts, and leave to cool. Add the ricotta and beaten egg, and stir well. 

Lay 2 sheets of filo pastry one on top of the other in the cake tin, letting them hang over the edge on two sides. Next, lay 2 more sheets of filo at right angles to the first layer. Continue in this way until you have used 8 sheets for the base of the pie. 

 Spoon the spinach and ricotta mixture into the pie. Fold in the edges of the pastry, and top the pie with the remaining 4 sheets of filo pastry, tucking them in neatly. Brush all over with the melted butter, and bake in the oven for 20–30 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve warm.

Serves 4