Recipe: Spinach and Ricotta Roulade...and a GIVEAWAY

Today really crazy things are going to happen.

We are going to make souffles.  (Kind of.)

We are not going to be afraid of their super fancy French name.

We are not going to stress eat half the container of ricotta that we are supposed to put in the souffles because that fancy French name is totally getting to us no matter how hard we try to fight it.

We are totally allowed to stress eat some spinach.  (As. If.  We're not that stressed.)



Here's the thing.

You know how the scariest part of souffle making is the fear that it's going to fall before you get it out of your oven and into the line of sight of your guests so that they can go to sleep that night in awe of your rockstar French culinary skillz?

Fear no more! Because for this souffle recipe.  You totally want it to fall.

See?  It's gonna be okay.

Put down the spinach ricotta.



Okay so I kind of lied to you.  We're not really making a souffle.

We're making a roulade! Which is a huge rectangle of fallen souffle that has been filled with cheese and veggies (all that is good in this world) and then rolled up into a hefty spiral of deliciousness.

Way more impressive than souffle, if you ask me. 

I'm not biased at all.  I swear.



Plus are you noticing the festiveness of that color combination?  Christmas.on.a.plate.

Vegetarian entree that shockingly resembles lasagna but without all of the carbs and calories because, even if our mother thinks otherwise, when you simmer tomato sauce with a huge hunk of meat in it and then pour it over the lasagna it is not vegetarian?  (Seriously.  We had that conversation last night.) 

Right here.  I got your back. 



Still have doubts?  (Do I have to take that ricotta away from you?)

I'm going to make your life easier.  The way that OXO did for me.

They sent me one of their Good Grips Egg Beaters.  Which I proceeded to use to whip those eggs into shape.  It was basically the least painful egg beating I've ever done in my life.  And then the least arduous clean up ever, since the two beaters can be removed individually for cleaning (and can be dishwashed if you are so lucky to have a dishwasher.  Jealous.).  And resulted in one of the most delicious egg confections I've ever made. 

OXO was nice enough to throw in an extra egg beater for one of you guys! So that you can whip up an egg dish, whipped cream, or a light batter yourself (yes, these beaters can take on all of that.  The sky is the limit.)

For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (if you're not a blogger, then make sure to leave your email address!) telling me what you would make with these beaters.  Giveaway will end next Monday.

DISCLOSURE: I received this product for free as part of the OXO Blogger Outreach Program.  However, my thoughts and opinions on it are my own and I received no monetary compensation for this post.



Souffle Base for Roulades
Makes one 10x15-inch souffle base, adapted from The Greens Cookbook

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or regular milk)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp flour
• salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400.  Line a 10x15-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (I used PAM for baking).
2. Separate the yolks and the whites of the eggs.  Lightly beat the yolks and set them aside.  Heat the milk to make the roux.  In a small skillet, melt the butter.  Add the flour and, stirring constantly, cook for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat until the roux is lightly colored.  Whisk in the heated milk and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat and season with 1/2 tsp salt and the cayenne.  Gradually whisk some of the hot mixture into the yolks to warm them.  Return to the pan and add the rest of the yolks in.
3. In a large bowl, whisk or beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form smooth, firm peaks.  Stir about a quarter of the whites and half the grated cheese into the milk-egg yolk mixture.  Gently fold in the rest of the whites.  Pour the souffle mixture onto the baking sheet, spread it to fill all the corners, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the surface.  Bake until the top is icely browned and puffed, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove the souffle from the oven and let it cool.  Carefully turn it out onto a counter by turning over the pan, and remove the paper. I did this by putting another sheet of parchment on top of it and then flipping it onto my kitchen table.  It is now ready to be filled and rolled.

Spinach and Ricotta Roulade
Serves 6, adapted from The Greens Cookbook


Ingredients

• 1 recipe souffle base (above)
• tomato sauce
• 2 lb spinach
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 8 oz ricotta
• 1/4 cup almond milk or regular milk
• nutmeg
• black pepper
• half and half, for baking

Instructions

1. Prepare the souffle base and set it aside.
2. Cut the stems off the spinach and wash the leaves in a large bowl of water, using two changes of water if necessary to remove all the sand and dirt.  Cook the spinach in a large pan with the water that clings to the leaves, and season with a little salt.  When it is wilted, after a few minutes, remove it to a colander to drain.  Spray the same skillet with cooking spray.  Slowly cook the onion until it is soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.  While it is cooking, squeeze the water out of the spinach, and chop it fairly fine.  Add it to the cooking onion and cook another few minutes, until warmed through.
3. Thin the ricotta with enough milk to make it soft and pliable, then season to taste with nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Preheat the oven to 400.  Spread the ricotta over the souffle, then cover it with the spinach.  Roll the souffle tightly, starting with a short end.  Then transfer it carefully to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Just before baking, brush the surface of the roulade with half and half, then bake, lightly covered, until it is heated through, about 25 minutes.
5. To serve, ladle sauce onto each plate.  Slice the roulade into 1/2-or-1-inch pieces and carefully set them on the sauce.