Spinach, pine nut and ricotta filo pinwheels recipe

These delicious spinach, pine nut and ricotta filo pinwheels are simple to make with crisp filo pastry and a rich spinach, cheese and pine nut filling. Perfect for vegetarians, this recipe makes 4 pastry wheels. Serve them as a filling dinner or a hearty lunch alongside some new potatoes and other fresh greens. Ideal as party food or snacks to take on a picnic.

Ingredients

• 250g fresh baby spinach
• 1tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 50g pine nuts, toasted
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 sheets filo pastry
• Melted butter, for brushing
• 200ml carton ricotta
• 1tbsp sesame seeds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Fan oven 180˚C/Gas Mark 6. Wash the spinach and place in a pan with just the water clinging to the leaves, season, cover the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the pine nuts and cook for a minute or two until golden, then stir in the spinach. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
2. Cut the sheets of filo in half and brush with melted butter. Spread the spinach mixture over the bottom third of each rectangle. Scatter with ricotta then roll up from the short side tucking in the sides as you go, to form a long cigar shape. Brush the outside of the cigar-shaped roll with butter, then coil it into a pinwheel and tuck it into a buttered 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin. Repeat with the remaining spinach mixture, ricotta and filo pastry, arranging them round the edge of the tin, with one in the middle.
3. Brush the top of the filo wheels with melted butter and scatter with sesame seeds. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp.