Spinach ricotta cake with bacon

This spinach ricotta cake with bacon is made using filo pastry and has a delicious filling. It’s very straightforward to make, unmould and amazing to eat. Crispy on the outside and soft and delicious inside.

The filling

This spinach ricotta cake with bacon is really a delicious dish. You can skip the bacon if you don’t like it or don’t consume meat. For the ricotta, I made my homemade ricotta recipe which is really quick and easy to make. If you prefer, you can also buy it. Just make sure that you’re using one that’s nice and dry so that the filling doesn’t become too moist. The elements that give the filling moisture and prevent it from drying out are the spinach and eggs, and the result is really nice in texture and not at all dry. However, if the ricotta is too wet, it could make the dough go soggy.

The Bundt Pan

To make this spinach ricotta cake I used a Nordic Ware bundt pan called Elegant Party. For this recipe, it’s best to avoid overly intricate pans. That’s because you need to push the dough into all the crevices to get the shape right. I like to have these alternative uses to bundt pans since I have so many and I don’t always want to make a bundt cake. I think that this recipe is perfect for it!

As you can see, this spinach ricotta cake with bacon is absolutely delicious. It has many crispy layers of filo pastry that break as you eat it. It’s a different way to present a savoury cake, it looks great at the table and serves several generous portions. I like to have a slice for lunch alongside a fresh green leaves salad. To reheat this you just cut a portion and bake it for 5-10 minutes so that it’s crispy and hot again. Since the filling has already set, it won’t come apart or disintegrate.

Spinach ricotta cake with bacon

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: 10 people in a 25cm diameter bundt pan

Author: Lorena Salinas from Cravings Journal

Ingredients

For the ricotta (replace with 320g store-bought ricotta)

• 2 litres milk
• 6 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp salt

For the spinach

• 300 g baby spinach without stalks
• 1 tsp salt

For the bacon

• 180 g bacon

For the filling

• Ricotta, spinach and bacon from previous steps
• 4 eggs
• 400 ml whipping cream
• 100 g grated mozzarella
• ½ tsp salt
• Pepper to taste

For the dough

• 350 g filo pastry
• 100 g butter unsalted and melted

Instructions

For the ricotta

• Bring the milk and salt to a boil. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Once it boils turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Give it a quick stir and let rest for 10min. If it doesn't curdle when you mix in the lemon juice, return it to the heat for a few seconds. I should curdle.
• Put a sieve on a large bowl and lay muslin cloth on top of that. If you don't have a muslin cloth you can use a new kitchen towel (not the hairy type) that is reserved only for this use to avoid cross contamination.
• Pour the milk on the muslin cloth-lined sieve and let drain for 10min. Then use your hands to press on the ricotta to get as much moisture out of it as you can.
• Discard the whey and keep the cheese. Reserve.

For the spinach

• In a medium pot, set water and salt to boil on high heat.
• Once in a rolling boil, add all the spinach at once and submerge it using a spoon or spatula. Let it cook for 20 seconds.
• Remove it and place it immediately in a bowl with cold water and ice. Let it cool down completely.
• Once cold, take small portions of spinach and squeeze them with your hands to remove as much water as you can.
• Cut the spinach very small and reserve.

For the bacon

• On a medium pan, place the bacon strips one next to the other over medium heat. Crisp them up on both sides.
• Remove the bacon and place it over a dish with kitchen paper. Once completely cool, cut it up in small bits.

For the filling

• Mix everything in a bowl and reserve.

For the dough

• All the time you're working with filo pastry, make sure that it remains covered with a damp cloth because it dries up easily and breaks.
• Paint a sheet of filo pastry with little butter in an even manner. Place it in the bundt pan to one side, with the butter facing the pan. Press carefully into it so it goes into the shape of the pan.
• Repeat this with two-thirds of the sheets, covering every part of the pan more with about 3 layers. If there's excess dough on the sides then that's perfect, we will fold them inwards later and helps to close it up.
• Pour the filling into the dough and level it with a spatula or spoon.
• Fold the excess dough inwards and place the rest of the filo sheets with butter on top for the base.
• Bake the cake at 180°C/350°C for 45 minutes.
• Turn over onto a baking tray (if you don't have a pizza peel for later, place a bit of baking paper first).
• Return to the over for an extra 5-10 more minutes, just to get it golden on top.
• Let it cool for 15 minutes and serve.

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