Ricotta Filo Cake Recipes

RICOTTA & SPINACH FILO BITES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Heat the oil in a pan, then cook the spring onions for 1-2 mins until softened. Add the spinach and cook for a few mins more until any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• Pat the feta dry with kitchen paper, then crumble it finely into a large bowl. Add the ricotta, dill and season with pepper. Taste, then add a little salt if needed. Add the eggs and spinach mixture, then mix well.
• Unfold the filo and cut into three pieces lengthwise, cutting through all of the sheets at once. Take out 3 sheets and wrap the remainder tightly to prevent them from drying out. Brush the 3 strips lightly with melted butter. Fold in half lengthwise so they are half the length, then brush again with butter. Place 1 tsp of the mixture on the end of each strip, fold a little pastry over the filling, then fold in the edges. Loosely roll to form a cigar. Place on the baking sheets, a little apart, then finish making the rest. Can be frozen in a large plastic container for up to 3 months.
• Brush the tops with butter, then bake for 15-18 mins until lightly golden and crisp.

RICOTTA FILO CAKE

Steps:

• Set the oven at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Melt the butter in a small pan. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Line the tart tin with a double sheet of filo, letting it fall over the edges. Brush with some of the butter, then continue with all the sheets of filo, letting the pastry overhang the tin where necessary and generously brushing them with butter as you go.
• Put the ricotta, eggs, egg yolks, honey, cinnamon and granulated sugar into the bowl of a food mixer and combine to a smooth cream. Fold in the candied peel, raisins, finely grated citrus zest, flour, a capful of vanilla extract and, lastly, the ground almonds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the lined tin, smooth flat, then gently fold the overhanging pastry sheets to the middle, curling them over as you go to make loose rosettes of pastry. Bake for forty to fifty minutes, until the pastry is crisp and the filling lightly firm to the touch.
• To finish:
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Melt the honey in a small saucepan, stir in the candied peel, then spoon over the pastry. Dust with icing sugar and leave to cool before slicing.