Three-cheese rolls

These are cheese rolls, but not as you (or your Southland relatives) might know them. Be as adventurous or as brave as you like with the cheese filling - the ricotta is light and creamy, so it’s a good idea to add something with a bit of punch that also melts well.

TIP: These can be made in advance (up to the stage where they are brushed with egg) and frozen, uncooked, in a covered container for a couple of weeks. When you’re ready to cook, brush them with the beaten egg as detailed above and cook from frozen for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

250 g	Ricotta (Main)
1 cup	Grated cheese, try gouda or gruyere-style (Main)
1 small	Leek, (white parts only), finely chopped
1 cup	Hard cheese, crumbled or chopped (Main)
2	Eggs
8 squares	Filo pastry (Main)
2 tsp	Cumin seeds

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 200C. Grease a baking tray with a little butter or oil.
2. Mix together the ricotta, cheeses, leek and one of the eggs. Season well with freshly ground black pepper.
3. Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a board and put a couple of tablespoons of the mixture along the edge closest to you. Roll the pastry over it (like you're making a Swiss roll), tucking the ends in as you go to form a cigar shape. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture and pastry sheets.
4. Lightly beat the remaining egg. Brush it all over the pastry rolls and sprinkle cumin seeds over the top. Transfer to the prepared tray and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown all over. Serve immediately with a green salad.

See more of Lucy's cheesey recipes

• Blue cheese clouds with crisp oat crumble
• Sesame and thyme-crusted feta with honey and lemon