Vegan Spinach Ricotta Rolls

Serves 8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 40 mins

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 450g/15.9oz extra firm tofu
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 8 oz frozen chopped spinach (250 g), thawed, see note 1

Rolls

• 2 sheets puff pastry vegan, thawed if frozen
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise vegan
• Dried oregano optional

METHOD

Filling

1. Break the tofu apart with your hands into your food processor.
2. Add all remaining ingredients (except the spinach) and blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until well combined. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides if needed.
3. The finished result should be a thick, creamy ricotta-like consistency. Some small lumps are fine.
4. Squeeze the thawed spinach with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Place the spinach onto a clean tea towel (one you don’t mind getting stained) and wring it well to remove any last drops of water.
5. Remove the blade attachment from the food processor. Add in thawed spinach and mix with a spoon (or your hands) to combine.

Rolls

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160°C fan forced). Line a large baking tray or grease it lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Place thawed pastry sheets onto a work surface. Divide the filling between the two sheets of pastry and shape it into a log, ensuring it is well compacted.
3. Brush the tops with mayonnaise and sprinkle with oregano, then slice each roll into four or six pieces (depending on how large you would like the rolls). Make a small slice on the the top of each piece (optional – decorative).
4. Place the rolls onto the baking tray, leaving at least 1 inch between them (so the pastry browns well).
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until pastry is golden and crispy. Eat as soon as they are cool enough to eat and serve with tomato relish or ketchup.

Notes:

1. Spinach – you can use fresh spinach in this recipe but I prefer frozen as it is convenient and affordable. To use fresh, chop 1.2lb / 600g of fresh spinach into small pieces. Blanch for 45 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold water. Squeeze out excess liquid, then measure out 8 oz / 250g of spinach and proceed with the recipe. If using frozen spinach, keep in mind the quality varies between brands – some are so finely chopped it is more like minced spinach. The recipe will still taste fine, but the filling will look more like aa green paste rather than having distinguishable spinach pieces. If you’re in Australia, I like the Nature’s Nutrients brand of spinach from Coles supermarkets.
2. Tofu – it’s very important you use extra firm tofu for this recipe, otherwise there will be too much liquid and the rolls will be soggy. Look for tofu that is labelled as hard or extra firm. Anything labelled as firm or classic will be too soft

Per serve:

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g