Kale and ricotta rolls

Name: Kale and ricotta rolls
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 200g picked kale leaves (excluding stalks), roughly chopped; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 250g ricotta cheese; 100g feta cheese, crumbled; 50g parmesan, grated; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; finely grated zest of ½ lemon; ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes; ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; a generous grind of black pepper; 2 packets (or 2 sheets) of good-quality puff pastry; 1 egg, lightly beaten for the pastry; nigella seeds, for sprinkling

Helen Goh

August 2, 2024

Kale and three-cheese pastries sprinkled with nigella seeds.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourMakes:8

“Massaging” kale with salt helps to break down the cell walls, rendering the chewy leaves, which can otherwise be a little tough, more tender and palatable. The wilted leaves are then combined, uncooked, with the rest of the ingredients.

Buying ready-prepared kale in bags and using shop-bought puff pastry makes this an even easier recipe.

Ingredients

200g picked kale leaves (excluding stalks), roughly chopped
1 tsp fine sea salt
250g ricotta cheese
100g feta cheese, crumbled
50g parmesan, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
a generous grind of black pepper
2 packets (or 2 sheets) of good-quality puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten for the pastry
nigella seeds, for sprinkling

Method

Step 1
Place the kale in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the salt. With clean hands, squeeze and rub the salt into the leaves until they wilt and turn a shade darker (about 2 minutes). Add all the remaining ingredients – except the puff pastry, egg wash and nigella seeds. Mix very well to combine, then set aside.
Step 2
Place the 2 sheets of puff pastry side by side on a lightly floured workbench. Cut the pastry down the middle, parallel to the long side, so you have four long rectangles. (If using square sheets, cut in half and take care not to overfill.) Now, dividing the filling into four equal portions, spoon a line of the filling across the long side of each rectangle, about a third of the way up from the bottom. A piping bag (or a press-seal bag with a hole cut in one corner) is very useful here if you have it. Brush the beaten egg along the top edge of each piece of pastry, then roll the pastry up from the bottom to enclose the filling, making sure the seam is underneath.
Step 3
Cut the rolls in half and transfer them, seam side down, to an oven tray lined with baking paper. Brush the tops and sides of the rolls with the egg wash, then sprinkle with nigella seeds. Place the tray in the fridge for the pastries to chill and firm up while you preheat the oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional).
Step 4
When the oven is hot enough, bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden-brown. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack before eating.