The savory pie with puff pastry, ricotta, and spinach is a rustic pizza that is very quick to prepare, always perfect for any occasion, but above all, delicious!
I confess, this is probably my ultimate dinner-saver recipe, I make it very often, especially when I don’t have much in the fridge or don’t have much time. I unroll a ready-made puff pastry sheet, prepare the filling in a bowl, throw it in the oven, and in half an hour, dinner is ready.
Often I make it in a “vegetarian” version, but if I have deli meats in the fridge to use up, like ham or mortadella, I chop them into small pieces and add them to the filling…so, in addition to being a dinner-saver, this recipe also becomes a fridge-cleaner!
When I have more time, I prepare the Wine Dough for Savory Pies without Butter and make the Ricotta and Spinach Quiche with Wine Dough. Both versions are delicious, so the choice is yours. If you prefer softer doughs, you can use the same filling with leavened dough (the same dough I use to make panzerotti and pan pizzas).
Alright, let’s move on to the recipe and see how to prepare the savory pie with puff pastry, ricotta, and spinach, but first, I’ll leave you with some other recipes that might interest you!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 705.49 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 33.89 (g) of which sugars 0.78 (g)
- Proteins 31.19 (g)
- Fat 49.31 (g) of which saturated 17.07 (g)of which unsaturated 29.21 (g)
- Fibers 1.91 (g)
- Sodium 725.30 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for preparing the savory pie with puff pastry, ricotta, and spinach
- 1 roll puff pastry (rectangular)
- 7 oz oz ricotta (well drained)
- 5 cubes spinach, frozen (or about 14 oz of fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed)
- 1 oz oz grated Parmesan (or grated Pecorino Romano)
- 2 eggs
- 4.5 oz oz Mozzarella
- 1.75 oz oz soft table cheese (such as Caciotta, Caciocavallo, Asiago, Galbanino, etc.)
- 2.8 oz oz cooked ham (or mortadella)
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Pan
- Baking tray
- Oven
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Brush
Preparation of the Savory Pie with Puff Pastry, Ricotta, and Spinach
Let’s see together how to prepare this delicious rustic puff pastry pie with ricotta and spinach. It’s quick and very simple.
First, boil the spinach in a pot of lightly salted water, drain them and leave them for a few minutes in a colander to remove as much water as possible. Once cooled down, squeeze them with your hands to release as many liquids as possible.
In a bowl, combine the well-drained ricotta (the day before’s is perfect), a pinch of salt, and the cooked ham (or mortadella). If you like, you can also add a sprinkle of pepper.
Add the well-squeezed spinach as well. According to your taste, you can leave them as they are or cut them.
I recommend chopping them with a pair of kitchen scissors, as they distribute better in the filling and you also avoid dirtying other tools like a mixer or hand blender.
Add the grated cheese (according to your taste, you can use Parmesan or grated Pecorino Romano.. I use the latter because it is more flavorful), the mozzarella in pieces, the cheese in cubes, and the eggs.
Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
Take the puff pastry from the fridge and unroll it on a baking sheet, without removing the parchment paper from the package.
On one half of the pastry, spread the filling, leaving about 0.5-0.75 inches from the edges. Fold the second half of the pastry over the filling and seal the edges by pressing with your fingers. Then create a small cord by rolling the edges onto themselves.
Pierce the surface with a fork and brush with a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, until your savory pie with puff pastry, ricotta, and spinach is nicely golden on the surface.
Once out of the oven, let it cool slightly, cut it into squares, and serve it.
Storage and Notes
– The savory pie with puff pastry, ricotta, and spinach can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of 24-48 hours. Before serving, warm it up for about ten minutes in the oven at 340°F or in an air fryer at 300°F.
– I do not recommend freezing it because the filling is quite watery and might lose its ideal consistency.
– I do not recommend freezing it because the filling is quite watery and might lose its ideal consistency.
Can you make the ricotta and spinach savory pie without puff pastry?
Yes, as I mentioned in the introduction, it can also be made with wine dough or leavened dough. Another very quick alternative is to use ready-made shortcrust pastry instead of puff pastry.
Can you make the ricotta and spinach savory pie without eggs?
Yes, just follow the recipe and do not use the eggs: the filling will be less “bound.” Since eggs act as a binder for the other ingredients, I recommend adding them unless there is a health reason preventing you from doing so.
Can the ricotta and spinach savory pie be made vegetarian?
Certainly: do not add the ham or mortadella. The vegetarian version is equally delicious, and this rustic pie probably originated as a vegetarian dish. I add deli meats when I have some slices to use up in the fridge or to make the filling richer.
Can fresh spinach be used in the rustic ricotta and spinach pie?
Yes, proceed exactly the same way: clean them, boil them, let them drain, and then squeeze them well before putting them in the bowl with the other ingredients.
