Preparation
- Late radicchio: 200 g
- Fresh spinach: 200 g
- Emmental cheese: 100 g
- Mozzarella: 200 g
- Ricotta: 150 g
- Cooked ham: 100 g
- Puff pastry (2 rectangular sheets, 230 g each): 460 g
- Extra virgin olive oil: 30 g
- Fine salt: to taste
- Black pepper: to taste
- Thyme: to taste
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Nutmeg (for grating): to taste
- For brushing: 1 egg
The preparation of this delicious puff pastry swirl begins with creating three different fillings. For the first filling, rinse the spinach well under running water. Take a non-stick pan, pour in 15 grams of oil and one clove of garlic. Add the spinach and cover with a lid, cooking over low heat for about 7-8 minutes. When the spinach is cooked, remove the garlic and transfer it to a bowl, allowing it to drain to eliminate excess water.
Now let's move on to the ricotta: sift it using a fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl, using a spatula to help. Combine the sifted ricotta with the spinach and mix well with a fork. To add more flavor, add some grated nutmeg and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary. Set this first mixture aside.
For the second filling, thoroughly wash the radicchio. In another non-stick pan, pour the remaining 15 grams of oil and the other clove of garlic. Add the late radicchio and let it cook over low heat for 7-8 minutes. When the radicchio has wilted, remove the garlic and transfer it to a bowl, allowing it to drain to eliminate excess water. Meanwhile, take the Emmental cheese, remove the outer rind, and cut it into small cubes. Add the cheese cubes to the radicchio and mix well. Adjust with salt and pepper and add thyme leaves. To better blend the ingredients, pour in a teaspoon of water and mix thoroughly.
For the third filling, cut the mozzarella into slices and place it in a strainer over a bowl to drain the excess liquid. The ham will be used later together with the mozzarella.
Now let's move on to assembling the swirl. Roll out the puff pastry with a rolling pin until you get a rectangle of 40x30 centimeters. Cut the pastry horizontally to obtain three rectangles about 11 centimeters high. On the first rectangle, place the spinach and ricotta mixture, leaving about a centimeter of border free. On the second rectangle, distribute the radicchio and cheese mixture. On the third rectangle, arrange the drained mozzarella and ham.
Brush the edges of each rectangle with beaten egg. Close the edges of the pastry by joining them and pressing the junctions with your fingers. Roll each rectangle on itself to form a roll. Repeat the entire procedure with the other sheet of puff pastry, obtaining a total of six filled rolls.
To form the swirl, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take one of the rolls and roll it on itself to form a spiral. Join a second roll (preferably with a different filling) to the first, pressing the ends slightly to make them adhere. If the ends do not adhere well, help yourself by brushing with a little beaten egg. Continue to compose the swirl by joining all the rolls, alternating those with different fillings. This arrangement will ensure sections with different fillings once the swirl is cut. Brush the entire surface of the swirl with beaten egg, paying particular attention to the junction points between the rolls.
For baking, place in a preheated static oven at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a fan oven at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Once the swirl is golden and crispy, turn off the oven, take it out and serve it. You can cut it into slices and admire the different colored fillings that create a very pleasant visual effect, as well as offering a rich and varied taste.
Enjoy your meal!
