Spinach, beetroot & goat’s cheese roulade

BBC Good Food Magazine 30 Nov 2023

Our savoury roulade is bursting with Christmassy colours and the earthy flavours of beetroot, tangy goat’s cheese and fragrant herbs.

SERVES 8-10 PREP 25 mins plus cooling and chilling COOK 15 mins MORE EFFORT Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 400g spinach
• 5 eggs, separated
• 3 tbsp self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 peeled and cooked beetroots (about 200g), roughly chopped
• 250g soft goat’s cheese
• 3 tbsp chopped dill, tarragon or chives, plus extra to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5 and line a swiss roll tin (ours was 23 x 32cm) with baking parchment. Tip the spinach into a large heatproof bowl with 1 tsp water and wilt in the microwave for a total of 2 mins, checking it after each 30-second burst. Or, wilt in a pan with 1 tbsp water over a medium heat. Leave the spinach to cool, then squeeze out as much water as possible by tipping it into a clean tea towel and wringing it out. Or, press against a colander using the back of a large spoon.
2. Transfer the spinach to a food processor with the egg yolks, flour, melted butter, milk and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Blitz until the spinach is finely chopped and the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the spinach mixture until combined. Tip the batter into the prepared tin and very gently spread out to an even layer. Bake for 12-15 mins until puffed up slightly and firm to the touch.
4. Meanwhile, wash out the food processor and tip in the beetroots, goat’s cheese and herbs. Season well and blitz to a purée, then spoon 3 tbsp of the filling into a piping bag.

   Tip the remainder into a bowl, then chill both the bowl and piping bag for about 30 mins, to firm up.

5. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and turn out the spinach roulade onto it. Carefully peel off the original baking parchment, then roll up into a tight spiral from one of the short ends, using the parchment to help you. Leave the roulade, still rolled up, to cool for 10 mins, then unroll and spread over the beetroot filling from the bowl. Roll up again and transfer to a serving board or plate. Pipe blobs of the filling over the roulade using the piping bag to look like berries, then scatter over the extra herbs to complete the effect. Slice to serve. Best eaten on the day, but will keep chilled for up to 48 hrs.