22/11/2017
Spinach, Basil and Ricotta Rotolo (Pasta Roulade)
The flavours and colours of Italy on a plate...this filled pasta roulade is so much easier to prepare than it looks, but will impress every time with its stunning presentation.
Serves:
8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 slices prosciutto, chopped
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 250g baby spinach leaves
- 750g fresh ricotta
- 1 bunch basil leaves, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 500g (8 sheets) fresh lasagne sheets (see note)
- milk, for brushing
- 750ml Italian-style tomato sauce, for serving (see note)
- toasted pine nuts, for garnish
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
- Also: 4 x 30cm square pieces of muslin
Method
Heat oil and sauté prosciutto and spring onions for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach leaves, cook until wilted, cool and chop finely. Combine spinach mixture, ricotta, basil and egg and season. Place two lasagne sheets next to each other on a piece of muslin, with long edges overlapping by 5cm to form a large rectangle. Brush with milk and spread with quarter the ricotta mixture, leaving a border along the far edge. Using the muslin, roll up the lasagne to form a roll, enclosing the filling and wrapping the muslin firmly around the roulade. Tie the ends securely with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining lasagne and filling to form four roulades. Boil roulades in a deep pan of boiling salted water for 25-30 minutes. Remove, unwrap, cut into slices and serve on a pool of warm tomato sauce, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, pine nuts and reserved basil leaves. Serve with parmesan cheese.
Tips
- PASTA SHEETS As the size of pasta sheets varies by brand, choose thin sheets (like Latina) or, if they are thicker, parboil for 1 minute before hand.
- TOMATO SAUCE Click here for Nonna’s Tomato Sauce recipe: https://www.naomicrisante.com.au/foodcentric/recipe/nonnas-sugo-for-pasta/
- MAKE AHEAD Assembled rotolos may be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking and they also freeze very well, just boil for an extra 5 minutes.
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