Spinach Cream Cheese Rolls
1 bunch English spinach, chopped½ cup butter
1/3 cup plain flour
1 ¾ cup milk
3 eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling
1 medium red pepper
100g packaged cream cheese, softened
pinch ground hot paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Note: Recipe can be made a day ahead. Storage: Covered, in refrigerator.
Line base and sides of 26cm x 32cm Swiss roll pan with baking paper. Add spinach to pan of boiling water, drain immediately, rinse under cold water; drain. Finely chop spinach, squeeze with hands to remove liquid. You will need ½ cup finely chopped spinach for this recipe. Melt butter in pan, add flour, stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat, gradually stir in milk, stir over heat until sauce boils and thickens; transfer to large bowl, cool 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, egg yolks and nutmeg. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into spinach mixture in 2 batches. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 190°C for about 12 minutes or until firm. Turn onto wire rack covered with tea-towel, remove lining paper. Cut roll in half crossways, then lengthways to give 4 rectangles. Spread rectangles with filling, roll up from short sides, cover; refrigerate 1 hour. Cut rolls into 1cm rounds; top with reserved red pepper.
Filling: Quarter pepper, remove seeds and membranes. Grill pepper, skin side up, until skin blisters and blackens. Peel away skin, finely chop pepper. Reserve half the pepper. Combine remaining pepper with cheese, paprika and chives in bowl.
Yields 32