Today’s recipe: Pasqualina pie (savory pie with ricotta and spinach).
A classic of Easter celebrations, perfect as an appetizer for Easter day, essential in the picnic basket for Easter Monday, and, for me, great on any occasion because the combination of ricotta and spinach is delicious.
The Pasqualina pie originated as a typical savory pie from Liguria but has become known throughout Italy and is a symbol of this holiday on our tables alongside the dove cake, the Neapolitan tortano, the casatiello, the Umbrian cheese pizza, or the Abruzzese Easter bread.
A crumbly pastry shell encloses a moist and flavorful filling that will win you over at the first bite and, I assure you, you will find it hard to resist. For the outer pastry, you can also use shortcrust pastry or puff pastry.
Let’s see step by step how to make this recipe.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 1 9-inch pan
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, All seasons
Ingredients for Pasqualina pie
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/2 lbs spinach, cooked, boiled
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 eggs
- 1 onion (small)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Scale
- 1 Kneading Board
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Pan
- 1 Baking Pan 9-inch
Let’s make Pasqualina pie together!
On a work surface, pour the flour and create a well, in the center pour water, oil, and salt. Mix first with a fork and, once the liquids are absorbed, start kneading with your hands until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Cover with a bowl or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour.
Meanwhile, let’s prepare the filling. In a non-stick pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the finely chopped half onion, lightly heat and add the boiled spinach (frozen ones are also fine) well drained. Sauté the vegetables in the pan to flavor them.
In a bowl, place the sautéed spinach left to cool a bit and chop them roughly with scissors, then add the drained ricotta, a whole egg, half of the grated Parmesan, salt, and a dash of grated nutmeg, mix to obtain a homogeneous mixture and well blend the ingredients together.
Take the dough back after the resting time and divide it into four equal parts. Roll out a ball as thin as possible, take the 9-inch pan and lightly grease it with oil, then cover it with the rolled-out dough. Set aside and roll another dough ball as thin as possible, brush the first dough layer with olive oil and place the second layer on top, making sure it adheres well.
Take the filling and pour it into the lined pan with the two layers of dough, level the spinach with a spoon and make four wells where you place an opened egg each. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. (In my photo, you see only two eggs because I made a small one).
Take the other two dough balls and roll them out very thin as well, one at a time. Cover the Pasqualina pie with one layer, brush with olive oil and cover with the other layer. If there is too much excess dough, cut the edges a bit, leaving enough to close forming a cord, then brush again with olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at a temperature of 355 degrees Fahrenheit for 55/60 minutes until the dough is golden. When you slice it, take a picture of your Pasqualina pie and post it on social media tagging me (a curler who messes up Instagram and Facebook) and let me know if you will eat it at Easter or Easter Monday.
A Curly Suggests
The Pasqualina pie (savory pie with ricotta and spinach) keeps well in the fridge for two to three days in an airtight container.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What herbs or vegetables can be used for making Pasqualina pie?
The Pasqualina pie is usually made with chard or spinach.
What can I use to make the outer dough of the Pasqualina pie?
If you don’t want to use homemade dough as described in the recipe, you can use store-bought shortcrust pastry or even puff pastry.
