Spinach and cheese snails

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR

750g silver beet, trimmed, chopped coarsely (see tips) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 6 green onions, sliced thinly 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup (200g) cottage cheese 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 egg yolks 8 sheets fillo pastry 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, extra 2 teaspoons sesame seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fanforced). Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper.

2 Cook silver beet in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water. Squeeze out excess water, place silver beet in a large bowl.

3 Heat oil in a medium frying pan over low heat; cook green onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add onion mixture to silver beet with cottage cheese, herbs and egg yolks; stir until well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Brush one sheet of pastry with some of the extra oil, top with another sheet. Spoon one-quarter of the silver beet mixture along one long edge of the pastry and roll up tightly to form a log or sausage shape. Coil the pastry log into a snail shape. Place on tray. Repeat with remaining pastry and silver beet mixture to make 4 snails in total (see step pic, above).

5 Brush each snail lightly with oil; sprinkle with combined sesame and cumin seeds. Bake for 35 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden.

Unbaked snails suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.