The rustic pie with spinach and cheese is similar to the Easter pie, but without hard-boiled eggs inside the dough and with the addition of various cheeses and cooked ham. A small, tasty variant to prepare for any occasion.
With ready-made puff pastry, it will be even easier to make, and you can indulge yourself by adding all the cheeses you desire. I use ricotta, Parmesan, spicy provolone, Emmental, and cooked ham, but any other cheese or deli meat, such as salami, is suitable for this recipe.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs spinach, frozen
- 2 rolls round puff pastry (10-inch diameter pan)
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 7 oz spicy provolone (or mild)
- 7 oz Emmental
- 9 oz cooked ham (diced)
- 2 eggs
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg
Steps
1 – In a pan, pour a round of olive oil and add 1 whole garlic clove. Let it brown for 1 minute, then add the frozen spinach, season with salt, and cook until they have absorbed the excess water and are cooked.
Let the spinach cool down, remove the garlic, squeeze them, and finely chop them together with the ricotta and the 2 eggs.
2 – Pour the spinach, ricotta, and egg mixture into a large bowl. Add the grated Parmesan, diced cheeses, and cooked ham. Mix the mixture, taste and adjust with salt, add a pinch of ground nutmeg and a sprinkle of white pepper.
3 – Unroll the first sheet of ready-made puff pastry and place it over a 10-inch diameter pan with high edges, previously buttered and floured. Pour in the spinach and cheese mixture and level it well.
Unroll the second sheet of puff pastry and close the rustic pie, sealing the edges together.4 – Preheat the oven to 356°F and bake the rustic pie for about 40 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden. Serve it hot, warm, or cold, it’s excellent in any case, as a side dish or as an interlude dish.
