Entertaining

Greens and ricotta turnovers

Name: Greens and ricotta turnovers recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 100ml extra virgin olive oil; 2 large red onions, thinly sliced; 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (slice the fronds and keep them for your salad); 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 3-4 (30g) white anchovy fillets, drained, finely chopped; 1/2 bunch tarragon, leaves picked, chopped; 1/2 bunch sage, leaves picked, chopped; 1 tsp each freshly grated nutmeg & smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp chilli flakes; 300g green leaves of your choice, such as curly kale, silverbeet or sorrel, roughly chopped; 2 tsp white wine vinegar; 300g full-fat ricotta, drained; 4 sheets good-quality frozen puff pastry, thawed; 30g capers, rinsed, drained, chopped; Small handful of grated parmesan; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 tbs fennel seeds; 1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked; Green salad leaves, to serve; 50g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked; 8 sage leaves; 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

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by Colin Fassnidge

Chef and My Kitchen Rules judge

Sep 01, 2020

“A flavoursome vegetable surprise to unwrap. Freeze any leftovers in a zip-lock bag for the perfect time-poor dinner," says Colin. This is an edited extract from The Commonsense Cook by Colin Fassnidge, (Plum, $39.99). Photography by Alan Benson.

100ml extra virgin olive oil
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (slice the fronds and keep them for your salad)
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
3-4 (30g) white anchovy fillets, drained, finely chopped
1/2 bunch tarragon, leaves picked, chopped
1/2 bunch sage, leaves picked, chopped
1 tsp each freshly grated nutmeg & smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
300g green leaves of your choice, such as curly kale, silverbeet or sorrel, roughly chopped
2 tsp white wine vinegar
300g full-fat ricotta, drained
4 sheets good-quality frozen puff pastry, thawed
30g capers, rinsed, drained, chopped
Small handful of grated parmesan
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbs fennel seeds
1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked
Green salad leaves, to serve

Herbed breadcrumbs

50g fresh breadcrumbs
1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked
8 sage leaves
2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

Method

1.

To make the herbed breadcrumbs, place the ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor and blitz to combine. Set aside.
2.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, sliced fennel bulb and a good pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, then add the anchovy, herbs, nutmeg, paprika and chilli flakes. Stir to combine, then add your choice of greens and stir through to wilt. Season with a little more salt and pepper, being mindful that the anchovy will have already added quite a bit of salt.
3.

When the greens are wilted, add the vinegar and give everything a stir until combined. Remove from the heat, transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill in the fridge for 45 minutes. Once chilled, stir through the ricotta and then the herbed breadcrumbs – this will help to dry out the mixture.
4.

Place a large baking tray in the oven and preheat it to 180°C (fan-forced). Lay a puff pastry sheet on your work surface and spread one-quarter of the mixture onto one half of the sheet, leaving a 2 cm border. Scatter over one-quarter of the capers and parmesan. Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg, then fold the pastry over the filling and trim it into a turnover shape, pinching the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling, to make four turnovers.
5.

Remove the baking tray from the oven and carefully lay a sheet of baking paper on the hot tray. Place the turnovers on the tray and brush with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle the fennel seeds, thyme and some salt over the top and grind over some black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until the turnovers are puffed up and golden. Remove the turnovers from the oven and allow to cool. Serve with a fresh garden salad.