As summer settles in, we find ourselves drawn to the simple pleasures of a picnic – a blanket on the grass, something cold to drink, and food that’s easy to make, easy to pack, and somehow tastes even better eaten outside.
With that in mind, it felt like the perfect moment to share this recipe from our new book, Homes for Living – a book that’s very much about that spirit of ease and quiet enjoyment in everyday things.
Created by British cook Sophie Wyburd, it’s exactly the kind of recipe that suits a picnic: unfussy, satisfying, and ideal for sharing. Something pastry-based always feels like the right call, and these spinach and feta rolls are a lovely vegetarian take on a classic. We know you’re going to love them.
Spinach and Feta Rolls
A picnic is incomplete without a sausage roll or veggie equivalent, and these are real crowd pleasers. You can freeze them uncooked for up to 3 months, then cook them straight from frozen.
Ingredients
Serves 4
400g frozen whole leaf spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
20g parsley, finely chopped
200g feta
Grated zest of 1 lemon
320g ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
20g sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Method
Cook time 40 minutes
1. Put the frozen spinach into a large bowl and cover with warm water. Leave to sit and defrost for a bit.
2. Put a small frying pan over a medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 20 minutes until soft and caramelised. Grate in the garlic and cook for another minute, then tip it into a large mixing bowl to cool down.
3. Toast the fennel seeds in a small saucepan over a medium heat for 1 minute, then tip them into a pestle and mortar along with the chilli flakes, and bash them to a coarse powder. Tip these in with the onion.
4. Run warm water over the spinach to thaw out any last bits of ice, then drain it in a colander. Taking the spinach in chunks, squeeze out any moisture with your hands, then roughly chop it.
5. Add the spinach and parsley to the onion bowl, then crumble in the feta. Add the lemon zest and give everything a good mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Unroll the puff pastry and spoon the spinach mixture in a line the length of the long side of the pastry, about one-third of the way in. Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg, then fold the long side over the filling to meet the opposite edge. Press the edges down to seal them, then trim off any excess pastry and press the edges with a fork to seal neatly.
7. Brush the beaten egg all over the pastry. Sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds. Place on a tray and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
8. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
9. Cut the roll into four equal pieces and arrange on the lined baking tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Eat them hot or cold.
