KBB #28 Torta Pasqualina

Torta Pasqualina is a typical Italian Easter recipe that comes from Liguria. It is a traditional tart made with a thin pastry stuffed with vegetables, ricotta cheese, Parmesan and eggs and it is traditionally prepared in the Easter day as an appetizer.

I didn't have enough time when I prepared this. Been busy the whole month. I was juggling between cupcakes orders, driving license paper works, my friend's wedding invitation and being a tour guide for my sister & brother whose visiting us this month.

It took times when you want to make this savoury cake. I better warn you, it's not easy to flatten each piece of dough into a very thin disk. Be careful not to tear it apart. But worth to try, I like the combo taste of cheese, eggs and vegetables.

Torta Pasqualina
Source: Old Time Cooking Recipes



Ingredients:

DOUGH:
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) white flour
6 Tbs olive oil
a pinch of salt

FILLING:
1 kg (2 lb) Swiss chard (silver beet) or spinach
400 g (0.9 lb) cottage cheese/ricotta cheese
100 g (3.5 oz) parmesan
10 eggs
2 teaspoons marjoram, chopped
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
garlic, minced (optional)
olive oil
salt, pepper
Preparation:

1. DOUGH:
-Combine flour, oil, a pinch of salt and enough cold water to make a medium soft dough.
-Knead well for 10 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic. -Divide the dough into 14 balls.
-Cover with cloth and let stand for about 1 hour.

2. FILLING:
-Clean, wash and dry the Swiss chard.
-Place in a saucepan with little boiling water and cook at high heat until wilted.
-Cool, then squeeze out excess liquid and chop finely.
-Add 50 g (1.7 oz) parmesan cheese, marjoram, parsley, garlic and 2 eggs. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Oil a round shallow oven dish, 9 inches (22 cm) in diameter.

4. Flatten each piece of dough, one at a time, making each a very thin disk, larger than the baking pan you are going to use.

5. Lay the pastry on the oven dish, allowing it to flow over the edges. Oil it lightly.

6. Place another disk over it and repeat until you have used 7 disks.

7. Spread the Swiss chard stuffing over the dough, and then spread the cottage cheese over the greens level with a knife.

8. Make 8 small cavities. Pour a raw egg into each cavity and sprinkle each with salt, pepper and remaining parmesan cheese.



9. Cover the whole lot with the same number of pastry sheets, each brushed with oil.

10. Pinch the borders and trim the excess dough, prick the top of the pie in a few places and then brush with oil.

11. Bake for 1 hour in 190 C (375 F) oven. Allow to rest before removing from the cake tin