Italian spinach and ricotta pie, also known as "spinach pie" or "torta di spinaci", is a delectable savory pastry that combines the vibrant flavors of fresh spinach, creamy ricotta cheese, and aromatic herbs, all encased in a flaky golden crust. Originating from the vibrant culinary traditions of Italy, this dish has captured the hearts of food lovers worldwide with its perfect balance of textures and explosion of flavors. Whether it's served as an appetizer, a main course, or a delightful snack, Italian spinach and ricotta pie is a versatile dish that promises to tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the heart of Italy with each bite.
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ITALIAN SPINACH CHEESE PIE
This is a dish for the spinach lover. Great the next day also. I look forward to making it every spring when spinach is in season.
Provided by CANDLELADY9AH
Categories Main Dish Recipes Savory Pie Recipes
Time 1h5m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate.
- In a large bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and bell pepper. Spread in the prepared pie dish so that it is a little thinner in the middle.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the center is set, and the edges are lightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 175.2 calories, Carbohydrate 6.3 g, Cholesterol 100.5 mg, Fat 10.2 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 15 g, SaturatedFat 5.7 g, Sodium 237.1 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
RICOTTA SPINACH PIE
An easy Ricotta Spinach Pie recipe. Good as the centerpiece of a meatless meal.
Provided by Dawn Murray
Categories Cheese Egg Bake Vegetarian Kid-Friendly Spinach Bon Appétit Small Plates
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Unfold pie crust. Press out fold lines; if crust cracks, wet fingers and push edges together to seal. Sprinkle flour over crust. Place crust floured side down in 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish. Fold edge under and crimp decoratively.
- Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sauté until all liquid from spinach evaporates, about 3 minutes.
- Combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in large bowl. Mix in eggs. Add spinach mixture; blend well.
- Spoon cheese mixture into pie crust. Bake until filling is set in center and brown on top, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut pie into wedges.
QUICK RICOTTA AND SPINACH PIE
A frozen pie shell can be a great thing to have around, especially if there's little time to get dinner and you want something done quickly and done well. This is one of those recipes. A snap to put together, provided you have all the ingredients, and a delicious meal with little effort.
Provided by evelynathens
Categories Savory Pies
Time 55m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sprinkle pie crust with flour.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and saute until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Mix in spinach and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Saute until all liquid from spinach evaporates, about 3 minutes.
- Combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in large bowl.
- Mix in eggs.
- Add spinach mixture; blend well.
- Spoon spinach mixture into pie crust.
- Bake until filling is set in center and brown on top, about 45-50 minutes.
- Let stand 10 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 577.4, Fat 41.4, SaturatedFat 21.1, Cholesterol 203.2, Sodium 821.2, Carbohydrate 21.9, Fiber 2.9, Sugar 2.2, Protein 30.2
ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND SPINACH PIE
The basic recipe came from my mother, but I've added a few ingredients. The flavors blend so well, and it even tastes good cold. This makes a hearty supper, especially when you serve it with a side of pasta. -Teresa Johnson, Peru, Illinois
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, breaking sausage into crumbles, 6-8 minutes; drain., Separate 1 egg; reserve yolk for brushing pastry. In a large bowl, whisk remaining eggs and egg white. Stir in sausage mixture, spinach, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, garlic powder and pepper., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of pastry dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim. Add sausage mixture. Roll remaining pastry dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edge. , In a small bowl, whisk water and reserved egg yolk; brush over crust. Cut slits in top., Bake until golden brown, 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 608 calories, Fat 40g fat (19g saturated fat), Cholesterol 248mg cholesterol, Sodium 787mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 28g protein.
SPINACH RICOTTA PIE
This savory spinach and ricotta pie mixes soft ricotta cheese with fresh baby spinach on a bed of crunch puff pastry and is not only delicious, it's also easy to make!
Provided by Vincenzo's Plate
Categories Vegetarian Pescatarian Shellfish-Free Soy-Free Fish-Free Peanut-Free Tree Nut-Free Sugar-Free Tomato-Free Oven
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Put the Ricotta Cheese (500 gram) into the bowl and begin to break it down using a fork.
- Add Fresh Baby Spinach (120 gram) and a generous handful of Pecorino Romano Cheese (to taste).
- Mix together well and add a sprinkle of Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste) and a touch of Ground Nutmeg (to taste).
- Add an Egg (1) and mix together once again.
- Once the ingredients are mixed and the filling looks much creamier, it is ready.
- Line a baking dish with Puff Pastry (2) and Nonstick Cooking Spray (as needed), and prick the bottom of it using a fork so it helps it to cook through.
- Fill it using the ricotta mixture and even it out as much as you can using a spatula.
- Cover the pie with another sheet of puff pastry, angling it so that the edges cover any gaps.
- Create a crust by gently folding down the edges and joining the two layers together.
- Press down around the edges using the teeth of a fork.
- Beat an Egg (1) lightly in a small cup and add a drop of water.
- Brush the egg mix over the top of the pie using a pastry brush.
- Cook in the oven at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 40 minutes or until golden.
- Let the spinach ricotta pie rest and cool for up to ten minutes, then slice into triangular serves and place on a wooden board. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 86 calories, Protein 3.7 g, Fat 5.8 g, Carbohydrate 4.9 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Sugar 0.1 g, Sodium 63.2 mg, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, TransFat 0.1 g, Cholesterol 38.1 mg, UnsaturatedFat 2.7 g
ITALIAN SPINACH AND RICOTTA PIE
This Italian spinach and ricotta pie (torta pasqualina) from the region Liguria is traditionally eaten for Easter, but can of course be served any time of the year.
Provided by PaolaAlbanesi
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h25m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Place spinach in a skillet over medium heat and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook until onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 whole eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the cooled spinach mixture.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish.
- Unwrap the phyllo dough. Keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent phyllo sheets from drying out.
- Lay 1 sheet of phyllo over the buttered dish flush with the edge so that excess phyllo hangs over on only one side of the dish. Brush lightly with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo at a slight angle to the first one. Continue in this manner, with up to 12 sheets, brushing each sheet with butter and working clockwise to lay each at a slight angle to the previous sheet.
- Spoon cheese and spinach mixture evenly into the phyllo-lined dish. Using the back of a spoon, make six indentations in the filling, then carefully place 1 egg yolk in each. Season each yolk with salt and pepper and drizzle with a bit of melted butter.
- Take the extra phyllo dough hanging over the edges of the dish and fold it over to the centre to cover the filling, 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, brushing each one with butter. Brush the top of the whole pie with butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the phyllo pastry is a dark golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 450.3 calories, Carbohydrate 27.9 g, Cholesterol 326.7 mg, Fat 28.6 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 21.4 g, SaturatedFat 15.2 g, Sodium 654.3 mg, Sugar 1.5 g
ITALIAN SPINACH PIE
A great pie for a luncheon or a light dinner that features ricotta and parmesan cheese. Add a salad and you're good to go. Serve hot.
Provided by Marie
Categories Savory Pies
Time 1h5m
Yield 1 pie
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat butter in skillet and saute onion until tender.
- Drain spinach well in a sieve and press with a spoon to remove all the liquid.
- Combine spinach, onions, ricotta, parmesan cheese, eggs and seasonings and mix well.
- Pour into pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 2010.8, Fat 143.4, SaturatedFat 73.7, Cholesterol 760.1, Sodium 2205.2, Carbohydrate 85.2, Fiber 11.9, Sugar 8.7, Protein 101.7
TORTA RUSTICA WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH
Torta rustica (also called pizza rustica) is a rich, ricotta-stuffed pie that's traditionally baked for Easter in Southern Italy. This version includes greens (either spinach or chard) for color and freshness. The ham is optional; feel free to leave it out, or substitute chopped olives or sundried tomatoes if you're looking for a similar savory bite. The crust, adapted from Nancy Harmon Jenkins's 2007 cookbook, "Cucina del Sole," is sturdy and slightly sweet, which makes a nice contrast to the salty filling. (For more on producing a lattice-style crust, see our How to Make Pie Crust guide.)
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories pies and tarts, main course
Time 2h
Yield 10 to 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Alternatively, mix together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add butter, working the pieces into the flour with your hands, squeezing and pinching them until the mixture looks like oatmeal.
- Add egg, egg white and lemon zest, and pulse after each addition. If working by hand, whisk together egg, egg white and lemon zest in a separate bowl, then mix into the butter mixture. Slowly add iced wine, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse or mix by hand until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid. The dough should be moist, but not wet.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather and press it into a ball. Divide into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other, and shape into disks. Wrap the disks tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
- When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make the filling: If your ricotta seems watery, put it in a sieve and let it drain while you cook the spinach.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and a large pinch of salt, and continue to cook until spinach is very dry, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. If any liquid accumulates as the spinach sits, pour it out of the bowl (you don't want it to water down the ricotta).
- In a food processor, purée drained ricotta and eggs until just combined and smooth. Add to the bowl with the spinach and fold in mozzarella, pecorino, ham (if using), parsley, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red-pepper flakes and nutmeg. Set aside when rolling out dough (or chill for up to 4 hours).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry dough disk to a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the pan. Scrape filling into crust and spread evenly. Roll out second pastry disk to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice on top of the filling. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top of the torta with the egg wash.
- Place torta on sheet pan and bake until crust is crisp and brown, and filling is firm, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Use fresh spinach. Fresh spinach has a milder flavor and is more tender than frozen spinach. If you're using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out any excess water before using it.
- Don't overcook the spinach. Overcooked spinach will be mushy and lose its flavor. Cook it just until it's wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Season the spinach well. Use salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season the spinach. You can also add other herbs and spices, such as basil, oregano, or red pepper flakes.
- Use a good quality ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese is the key ingredient in this pie, so it's important to use a good quality cheese. Look for a cheese that is smooth and creamy, with a slightly tangy flavor.
- Don't overmix the filling. Overmixing the filling will make it tough. Mix it just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the pie at a high temperature. This will help to create a golden brown crust and a creamy filling.
- Let the pie cool before serving. This will help the pie to set and make it easier to slice.
Conclusion:
Italian Spinach and Ricotta Pie is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. It's a great way to use up leftover spinach and ricotta cheese, and it's also a good source of protein and calcium. Serve it with a side salad or a bowl of soup for a complete meal.
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