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Torta Pasqualina Recipe

Torta Pasqualina Pie: An Easy and Quick Spinach and Ricotta Pie with Egg Surprise

Torta Pasqualina is a savory pie that's really popular around Easter time in Italy. What makes this pie unique is that each slice is a surprise. Before baking, raw eggs are placed on top of the ricotta and spinach filling. Once baked, the eggs are cooked and become the surprise element of the pie.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 10 servings

Equipment

  • 1 cm 22 spring form pan (9-inch)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion chopped
  • 1 kg spinach washed and ready to eat
  • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or dried marjoram
  • Salt to taste
  • 350 g Ricotta
  • 50 g Parmesan
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 Shortcrust Pastry sheet

Instructions
 

  • In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until it begins to become translucent.
  • Add the spinach and wilt over low heat.
  • Add the marjoram and salt to taste. Stir and turn off the heat. Allow to cool completely.
  • Now take handfuls of spinach directly from the skillet and squeeze tightly between your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Place the squeezed spinach in a large bowl.
  • Combine the spinach in the bowl with the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1 egg and a pinch of salt and mix well until a creamy compound forms.
  • Grease the baking dish with a little oil, then lay a sheet of dough on the base, folding the edges up 2-3 cm. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
  • Fill the base with the ricotta and spinach cream, covering well up to the edges.
  • With a spoon, form 3 indentations of about 5cm in diameter in the filling.
  • Gently crack the eggs and slide 1 egg into each indentation, being careful not to break the yolks.
  • Cover the filling with the other sheet of dough, sealing well at the edges with the bottom sheet of pasta, and rolling the edges to form a decorative cord.
  • Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use it to brush the surface of the pie.
  • Using a fork or sharp knife, make indentations on the surface so the tart does not puff up during baking.
  • Bake at 180°C in a static oven for about 1 hour, placing the baking dish on the lower rack.
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Your pasqualina pie is ready to be sliced and served!