The Artichoke Pasqualina Pie is a traditional dish from the Genoese cuisine, typical of the Easter period.
My mom always prepared it at Christmas, don’t ask me why she made a dish called Pasqualina Pie on December 25th, the only thing I can think of is that my family is uniquely normal. 🙂
This introduction is simply to tell you that any moment is the right time to prepare the Artichoke Pasqualina Pie.
In particular, in my city, artichokes during Easter week are unaffordable, then their price constantly drops, and now you can take home 10 artichokes for just 5 euros, so for me, the right time to prepare the Pasqualina is definitely now. 🙂
This savory pie is made with a dough called ‘pasta matta’, within which hides a rich filling of artichokes, ricotta, eggs, and Parmigiano Reggiano, which perfectly blend during cooking, creating a unique and delicious dish.
Tradition has it that the pie is enriched with whole eggs, which are inserted into the filling before cooking so that once cut, the pie reveals its surprise.
Served warm or at room temperature, the Artichoke Pasqualina Pie represents a rich and tasty dish.
Francy’s Curiosity: my dad told me why this pie became the symbol of Easter for the Genoese.
It is said that in the past, Genoese cooks made the pie with 33 layers of puff pastry, in honor of the years of Christ.
Moreover, the whole eggs in the filling were considered a symbol of rebirth.
Finally, a cross was drawn on each pie to help families recognize their own Pasqualina since no one had an oven at home, and the pie was brought to bake in communal ovens.
It is perhaps these three symbols that made the Artichoke Pasqualina Pie an essential dish at Easter on Genoese tables.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6/8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients: Artichoke Pasqualina Pie Tradition on the Table
- 5 fl oz water
- 4.4 oz all-purpose flour
- 4.4 Manitoba flour
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 artichokes
- 8.8 oz ricotta
- 7 eggs (you can reduce the number of whole eggs)
- 4 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 onion
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste marjoram (chopped)
- to taste salt
Tools: Artichoke Pasqualina Pie Tradition on the Table
I used a 9.5-inch pan
- 1 Pan
Steps
In a bowl, pour the two flours and mix them with a spoon, then add the oil and salt.
Slowly pour the room-temperature water and mix until a mixture is formed, which should then be kneaded by hand on a floured surface until a smooth dough ball is obtained.
Clean the artichokes by removing the outer leaves and the choke, wash, dry, and cut them into pieces.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and sauté in a pan.
Cook the artichokes in the pan with the onion for 15-20 minutes, adding a bit of water.
In a bowl, put the ricotta, two eggs, marjoram, Parmesan, and cooked artichokes, and mix everything well.
First, roll out the previously prepared ‘pasta matta’, dividing the dough into two parts, and with the help of a rolling pin, obtain two thin sheets.
Grease a baking dish and place the first sheet on top, on which we’ll put the mixture obtained by mixing artichokes, eggs, ricotta, and marjoram.
Make 5 holes in the filling and place whole eggs in them, sprinkle with a little more Parmesan.
Place the second sheet over the filling and seal the edges with your fingers.
Brush with oil and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How to store it?
Store it in the fridge for two or three days, in an airtight container.
Can it be frozen?
Sometimes I buy many artichokes and prepare more than one and freeze it, then I put it in the oven directly from the freezer.
Can I make it with puff pastry?
Of course, although the result is slightly different.
