This week’s Short and Tweet Challenge presented the perfect opportunity to use a bounty of home-produced and foraged ingredients. The recipe was Dan’s Spinach and Ricotta Pasties — a delicious filling of ricotta, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, chilli and oregano wrapped in a tomato-and-cheese dough.
I adapted the dough by using 100% wholemeal spelt flour to deepen the colour and introduce that nutty, wholesome flavour I love. The dough handled beautifully and Dan’s quick kneading technique made the process fast and easy.
For the filling I enjoyed the chance to use preserved and homemade ingredients. I substituted store-bought ricotta with brocciu I’d made from goat’s milk, and used nettles I had foraged and frozen the previous year in place of spinach. I also used dried chillies and oregano from my 2011 harvest to give the filling a well-rounded, aromatic boost.
To add texture and flavour I mixed in 75 g of toasted, chopped hazelnuts for crunch, and finely grated the rind of an unwaxed lemon to brighten the filling. These small additions lifted the mixture from very good to exceptional.
The finished pastry was thin and crisp, with a pleasant cheesy note from the parmesan in the dough. The filling delivered a layered, harmonious flavour: the earthy nettles and mushrooms, the gentle tang of brocciu, the warmth of chilli and oregano, the crunch of hazelnuts and the fresh lift from lemon rind.
These pasties are very satisfying and filling — likely helped by the wholemeal spelt dough. If you prefer lighter portions, you can easily make smaller, buffet-sized pasties and double the yield. Either way, these have become a firm favourite in our household.
On the plate I served them with homemade, home-canned baked beans — a simple, comforting accompaniment that pairs perfectly with the rich, savory pasties. Give them a try; the combination is delicious.