Spinach Roulade

Deb December 2, 2014

Serves 4 as an entree, or 2 as a light meal with salad or cooked veges

A spinach roulade is a classic dish that can be varied by using different fillings. The mozzarella and tomato version, which is good either hot or cold, comes from Rose Elliot’s Vegetarian Kitchen. A couple of other variations have been included. The variations with tomato look very festive and would make a nice Xmas entrée or side dish.

The Roulade:

  • 450g (1 lb) fresh spinach
    or 175g (6oz) frozen
  • 15g (1/3 oz) butter
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • grated nutmeg
  • 4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

The Filling:

  • 2 x 150g/5 oz Mozzarella cheese, packed in water
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 3 – 4 sprigs of fresh basil

OR:

  • 100g feta
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • small bunch fresh parsley

OR:

  • 100g feta
  • 2 large brown mushrooms, or 250g small ones

Set the oven to 200 ° C/400 °F

Line a 23 x 33 cm/9 x 13” Swiss roll tin with non-stick paper, to extend a bit up the sides.

If you’re using fresh spinach, wash well in sinkfuls of cold water, then put it into a large saucepan & cook over a high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until it is very tender. Keep pushing it down into the pan with a fish slice as it cooks. Or, cook frozen spinach in a tiny amount of boiling water, just enough to prevent it from sticking to the pan; it takes the same length of time.

Drain the spinach into a colander and press it very well to extract as much water as possible.

Put it into a food processor, along with the butter, egg yolks and a seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg, and whizz it all at top speed to make a smooth, creamy-looking puree.

Whisk the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks, then gently add the spinach mixture and carefully fold into the egg whites, incorporating as well as you can without stirring too hard.

Tip into the tin, level the top gently and sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the top is springy.

While the roulade is baking, get ready a piece of non-stick paper to turn it out on to, by sprinkling it with the rest of the Parmesan.

Now prepare the filling:

  • Drain the Mozzarella & slice thinly; cut the tomatoes into thin rounds & chop the basil.
  • Or, drain the feta; cut the tomatoes into thin rounds and chop the parsley.
  • Or, chop the mushrooms and cook up in a little butter, then drain; drain the feta

Take the roulade out of the oven and turn it out on to the non-stick paper.

Peel the paper off the roulade, and add the filling:

Cover with a layer of Mozzarella slices, then a layer of tomato rounds and finally chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Crumble over the feta, then layer the tomato, then the parsley and salt & pepper

Crumble over the feta, then layer the mushroom, then the salt & pepper

Roll up the roulade, starting at one of the long ends. Serve immediately, or put on a plate, cover with foil & put it into the oven, at 160 ° C/325 ° F, for 15 minutes or so.