Rose di Natale (Christmas Roses-filo and ricotta pastries)

She walked out of the door. As always, barefoot. The grass was cold under her feet. The hydrangeas, still beautiful but  dry as paper, a reminder that Summer must have been here, as she could still see "signs" The old fashioned roses, sporting small, bright red hips were still trying to sing a song, but the frost on the ground told a Winter story.

Her mother had been born in the month of December "A Winter Rose" a pretty bud, later in full bloom.  Throughout her life,  her petals displayed a rainbow of coulours: one for every season and for every day of her life.

I was thinking about my mother, today. It will be her birthday in a week... the last rose shed its petals today... I can see them on the ground. It must be nearly Christmas!

With her in mind, I decided to make myself feel "happy" and maybe cook something for Christmas that she would have liked. I bought some ricotta, yesterday, and filo pastry. With my beautiful green limes and some chocolate, I could make some roses... sweet Christmas roses!

Rose di Natale

Christmas roses

Sweet filo pastry "roses" filled with ricotta cheese

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 7-8

1 pack frozen filo pastry

350 g (12 oz) ricotta cheese

icing (confectioner's sugar)

as much or as little as you like

1 green lime, or lemon

one egg yolk

about 8 squares chocolate

vanilla extract

some melted butter

(for the filo pastry)

Before you start, prepare your ingredients: break the chocolate into small pieces, and peel your lime, as you will need its fragrant zest.

Next, put your ricotta in a bowl, then add your sugar, zest, egg yolk and chocolate. Mix all the ingredients to form a smooth creamy, sweet mixture.

Place your  filo pastry onto a surface and, with the help of a pastry brush, "paint" 3 sheets with melted butter. Keep the sheets layered. Now, with a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 7 or 8 squares (each of these will have three layers of fillo... it's extremely thin!)

If you have a patty tin, brush each "hole" with butter, then  press a square of the pastry layers into the middle of seven or eight of the "holes", so there is room, at the base of each, for the filling.

 The pastry looks better if it's a bit "messy." I gathered it, so it would look like a rose. Fill each of the "roses" with some ricotta mixture, then bake, 200 C, Gas 6,  400F, until the pastry looks golden, but don't let it burn. Also check that the bottom of your fillo "roses" is cooked.

I thought my Christmas roses looked beautiful and I know they will taste delicious! (They can be frozen until Christmas!)

 My  Christmas Roses look very pretty!