Rotolo: All about this Italian delicacy and easy recipe with pancake dough 

Welcome and welcome to Paulina Kitchen! In this delivery we are going to tell you about a recipe that perhaps is not the most popular Italian paste among us, but a very good option and with a spectacular presentation. 

We are talking about the rotolo , a kind of roll, similar to the cannelloni , but with certain differences that we are going to explore.

This Italian delicacy is not only great, but it is also a goal when planning a meal, a mealprep of those who save us in the week.

Today we are going to chat on how to prepare a spinach rotolo and ricota very tasty, with those infallible tips that avoid dramas "I disarmed everything when cutting it" or "Why was Aguado?"

We get fully into the world of Rotolo , its secrets, its history, and of course the recipe of complete Rotolo so that they can prepare it at home, with all the steps to have a beautiful dish.

About Rotolo Recipe

The rotolo is one of those dishes that generate love at first sight. Visually it is a kind of gypsy arm , which can have various landfills, such as vegetables, cheeses, chicken, dry tomatoes or whatever they can think of.

The filling is wrapped in a soft layer that can be dough for pancakes or crepes, homemade paste mass or even lasagna dough , and then baked with white sauce and/or tomato sauce .

How is the Rotolo from the Canelones? Basically in the technique: while the cannells assemble one by one, the rotolo is a roll (or several, depends on the mass that is used) that is then cut into slices, which makes it much more practical. In addition, the spiral cut gives a very nice touch to the plate.

The favorite undoubtedly is the Ricota rotolo (key component) with spinach , although there are versions with pumpkin , chicken , meat and more.

A little history: origin of the rotolo

This pasta comes direct from the homemade kitchens of northern Italy. In those mountainous regions where the oven was always turned on, this dish arose as a way to take advantage of vegetables and cheese. 

The word rotolo means just "roll" in Italian . It became popular as an alternative to the Canelones because it was faster to build for large families and allowed to play with different landfills according to the station.

With immigration, the Rotolo crossed the Atlantic and got into the kitchens of other countries, such as Argentina, where it is a Sunday classic in many homes.

The keys to the perfect label

• If dough is used for pancakes , it is key that it is finite, elastic and resistant. If the dough is too fragile, everything is broken when winding.
• The spinach and ricota filling must be firm, with fair humidity. The secret is to drain the spinach well , which can be fresh or frozen and not go from egg.
• Roll up with love: it has to be compact but with a little air for the filling to adapt well. You can build on a cloth or film so that it is easier to wind.
• Cut with well sharp knife thus the spiral is neat and does not break.
• The sauces: It is best to combine white sauce or bechamel and tomato sauce . A good Parmesan cheese or reggianito on top and gratin, and it is to applaud standing up.
• Freezar food : it is ideal for freezer, either raw or cooked. An ally of Mealprep and Tupper intelligent .

Responses to the most common doubts

1. How is the Rotolo from the Canelones? The traditional rotolo differs from the cannellon because it is armed as a single large and cut roll, while the cannellon is individual.
2. How to make the mass of pancakes for the rotolo and not break? For a mass of pancakes that do not break, the trick is to let it rest before making the pancakes and that the pan is very hot.
3. What is the secret of a good spinach and ricota filling for rotolo? spinach and ricota fill must be well drained, without excess egg and with compact ricota, not creamy. If necessary, you can add some flour or breadcrumbs to prevent it from getting watery .
4. How to wind and cut the roto without disarming? To cut it without disarming , it is best to use a very sharp knife and make firm cuts, without dragging.
5. What are the best sauces for Rotolo? A good combination of white sauce (Bechamel) and tomato sauce , although the fillet sauce alone is also good.
6. Can the roto be freezing? The rotolo can be freely, either raw or cooked. If it is done with pancake mass, everything is cooked, so in that case it can be wrapped in film and freeze. To defrost down to the refrigerator the day before.
7. Can Rotolo be done with lasagna dough instead of pancakes? Yes, but being a very fine dough you have to be careful not to break.
8. Are there other fillings can be used for the rotolo? You can make different combinations such as roasted pumpkin and ricota, crumbled chicken and cheese, minced meat, ham and cheese, and more.

6 final tips for a successful rotolo

1. Do not overload of filling , because then it costs to roll.
2. The pancakes have to be finite but resistant .
3. Cool the filling before filling , to prevent it from breaking it.
4. Always put a generous layer of sauce on the source : the rotolo appreciates moisture.
5. Chopped nuts always look good for the filling to give a crunchy touch.
6. cheese gets at the last moment : thus gratin even and does not burn.

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Spinach and ricota rotolo recipe

Yields: 2-3 portions

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 pancakes (made with 2 eggs, 200 ml of milk, 100 g of flour, salt at ease) see recipe
• 500g fresh spinach (or 300 g of frozen spinach, well drained)
• 300g of ricota
• 100g of Parmesan cheese or grated reggianito
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 CDA. of flour or breadcrumbs (optional)
• 500 ml of white sauce see recipe
• 500 ml of tomato sauce type fillet see recipe
• Olive oil

How to make Rotolo step by step

1. If the pancakes are not ready, prepare the mixture beating eggs, milk, flour and salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Cook in non -stick pan Fine and resistant pancakes to roll up. Reserve.
2. Sauté the spinach with a splash of oil. Let cool, drain very well and chop.
3. Mix the chopped spinach with the ricota well drained, the egg, half of the grated cheese, the nutmeg, the salt and the pepper. If the filling is very moisture, add a tablespoon of flour or breadcrumbs.
4. On a plastic film or a clean reviewer, dispose of the pancakes next to each other, slightly superimposed.
5. Cover with the filling and form a large roll, helping with the film, or winding each pancake individually.
6. Cut the roll into portions of approximately 4 cm wide.
7. In an oven fountain, place a layer of tomato sauce at the base. Dispose of cut scrolls. Cover with the white sauce and above with more tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese.
8. Gratin in preheated oven at 200 ° C for 15-20 minutes, until it is very golden.