Spinach Roll

Dough

500 g blanched and strained spinach*
100 g butter
100 g flour
100 ml milk
4 eggs
1 clove garlic (optional)

Puree spinach in a blender. Heat deep pan and fry spinach, butter, flour and milk for a very short time, just enough that it all combines well. Add salt and if you wish pressed garlic. Beat egg yolks and egg whites separately, each in another bowl(egg whites should be beaten stiff). First, stir beaten yolks into the spinach, then fold egg whites carefully. Line oven pan with baking paper, grease paper with butter and pour the batter in it. Bake in a preheated oven on 200°C. I'm not stating baking time as it varies from oven to oven. Best is to stay in front of the oven and check if a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. As soon as you take the dough out of the oven roll it, without removing the paper, then wrap the roll into a kitchen cloth. This step is crucial, do not skip it!

Filling

200 g feta cheese
100 g finely diced ham**
3 boiled egg yolks (boil 3 eggs and take their yolks)
180 g sour cream with 20% milk fat

Squash cheese and egg yolks with a fork. Combine with sour cream and ham.

Assembling: While it's still a bit warm, unroll the roll and spread the whole filling over. Roll it again and wrap tightly into aluminum foil. Leave in the fridge overnight. Do not let roll cool completely before you spread the filling, as if it does, it'll crack.

*1 kg fresh cleaned spinach is enough to get you 500 g blanched. Put it in a lot boiling water and cook enough to soften, then put on a strainer and let strain by itself (overnight in the fridge would be the best, just don't squeeze the water out with your hands). You can also use chard for this roll, it will only get a bit darker in color.

**You can use chicken or turkey ham, but do not use any wet ham! (Najbolje da se uzme stišnjena šunka ili pileća prsa, nikako praška jer je ona vodena!)

Note 1: This is the first time some of my recipes got published in a magazine :) (Sale & Pepe Serbian issue for November 2009, in the readers recipes section)

Note 2: I have drawn out a winner of Tito's cookbook from the hat and it is Marta Bigus. Marta, congratulations!

Note 3: This is my entry for 4 years anniversary of Weekend Herb Blogging event, created by Kalyn, and hosted by Haalo this week.