1 hr 50 mins
Not Too Tricky
serves 6
About the recipe
Brilliantly retro, this spinach and ricotta roulade will wow guests at your Christmas table!
Ingredients
1kg butternut squash
olive oil
1 pinch of chilli flakes
2 cloves of garlic
60g whole blanched almonds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
6 large free-range eggs
80g Parmesan cheese
60g gluten-free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
300g baby spinach
100g crumbly goat’s cheese
150g ricotta cheese
1 lemon
1 fresh red chilli
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375ºF/gas 5. Line a shallow baking tin (roughly 22cm x 32cm) with greaseproof paper.
- Carefully halve the squash, scoop out and discard the seeds (there’s no need to peel it), then chop into rough 3cm wedges. Place into a large roasting tray with a splash of olive oil, the chilli flakes and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Bash and add the garlic cloves to the tray, then pop in the hot oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender.
- Meanwhile, place a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the almonds, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden (keep an eye on them!), then bash well in a pestle and mortar.
- Take the squash out of the oven (keep the oven on for later). Scoop the flesh into a food processor and discard the skin. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins, add to the processor, then whiz to a smooth purée.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites into two large bowls. Grate the Parmesan over the yolks, then stir in the squash purée, flour, a good grating of nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a separate bowl then carefully fold it into the squash mixture. Transfer to the lined tin, spreading it out evenly. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until set and springy.
- Meanwhile, heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, then add the spinach and cook for around 2 minutes until wilted. Leave to cool, squeeze out the excess moisture, then finely chop.
- Turn out the roulade onto a large piece of greaseproof paper. Carefully peel away and discard the top layer of greaseproof paper.
- Crumble the goat’s cheese into a bowl, then add the ricotta, lemon zest and juice. Deseed, finely chop and add the chilli, stir well, then season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
- Spread the mixture over the sponge, leaving a rough 2cm gap along one of the longest edges. Scatter over the spinach and one-third of the almonds.
- Starting at the longest edge with no filling, carefully roll up the sponge, using the greaseproof paper to help you.
- Scatter over the remaining nuts, then carve into thick slices and serve straight away with a fresh green salad.
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