Pasta Pie

17/11/2023

The pasta pie or “Torta Pasqualina” is a dish from the Ligurian tradition, typical of the Easter period, although it is prepared all year round. Here is the recipe for a pasta pie:

Ingredients

500 g flour
250 ml water
1 pinch of salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus a little for brushing)
300 g ricotta (or prescinseua if available)
100 g grated parmesan
8 eggs
600 g Swiss chard or spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg to taste

Preparation

Start by preparing the dough: mound the flour and add salt, oil and water a little at a time in the centre, beginning to knead until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic film and let it rest for an hour.
Meanwhile, cook the Swiss chard or spinach in lightly salted water, then squeeze well and chop.
In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with the parmesan, add the chopped vegetables, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine everything very well.
Take the filling and incorporate two eggs, trying not to let them be completely absorbed into the mixture.
Take the dough again and divide it into about 10 balls of equal size. Roll each ball as thinly as possible to form sheets.
Oil the bottom of a baking tin (preferably a springform) and begin layering some sheets, brushing each one with a little oil.
Pour half of the filling over the dough, make 4 wells and break an egg into each, taking care to keep the yolk intact.
Cover with the remaining filling and repeat the well-and-egg operation. Finish with a final layer of dough sheets, remembering to seal the edges well.
Brush the surface with oil and make small cuts to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake at 180 °C for about 45 minutes or until the surface is golden.

A curiosity: the traditional pasqualina pie calls for 33 layers of dough, representing the years of Christ, but the home version prefers to simplify by using fewer sheets. In addition, spinach can be replaced with other leafy green vegetables depending on the season and the region.