Pasqualina is a stuffed pie usually with chards, but also spinach or edible herbs, ricotta and eggs, enclosed in sheets of thin dough: it is ideal for Easter Monday's picnics, as it can be previously baked and then enjoyed cold. Pasqualina is a true symbol of Ligurian cuisine, widespread and appreciated throughout Italy – and beyond.
Pasqualina's origins are very old, in fact, people baked it already in 1400, and even then it was closely linked to Easter, wherefrom it takes its name – Pasqua is the italian word for Easter.
Torta Pasqualina can also be made with artichokes although the traditional recipe only has spinach or chard. According to tradition, the pastry should be made up of 33 sheets in reference to Jesus' age - our recipe will only involve 4!
Although Pasqualina has a quite involved prepation, the result is impressive to both eye and palate!
Ingredients for the filling
- pepper and salt
- Nutmeg
- Parmesan cheese 130g
- creamy ricotta cheese 500 gr
- ½ Onion
- fresh marjoram
- 12 eggs
- extra virgin olive oil 150 ml
- Swiss chard or spinach 1 kg
Ingredients for 4 puff pastry sheets
- Olive Oil 35 ml
- Water about 350 ml
- Salt 3 g
- flour 600g
Directions:
First let's make the dough for the 4 sheets: two will be used for the base of the pan and two to cover the filling. Mix the salt into the water, place the flour in a large bowl and pour the water, add the oil and begin to knead the dough in the bowl, then continue on a lightly floured pastry board for a few minutes until it become smooth. Divide it in four pats: two large, weighing about 300 grams and two smaller weighing about 180 g; cover with a cloth and let rest for about an hour in a cool place.
Now let's make the filling: Sauté for a few minutes the chard or spinach in a pan with two tablespoons of olive oil and chopped onion, salt, pepper, then turn off the heat. Mince the vegetables and put into a bowl adding two eggs, 50 grams of grated cheese, chopped fresh marjoram, salt and pepper, mix well. In another bowl put the ricotta, soften it with a spoon, add 3 eggs and 30 grams of grated cheese, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Mix well to get a quite creamy and smooth mixture.
You can now take care of the puff pastry sheet. Roll with a rolling pin one of the dough pats of 300 gr until it becomes a thin sheet, extend it with your hands and arrange on the bottom of a 30cm-diameter pan previously brushed with oil. Spread the pastry sheet well with your hands, brush the dough with oil, then also roll the second 300 gr pat with a rolling pin and arrange it over the first sheet. Add the vegetable mixture, leveling it well with the back of a spoon. Afterward pour the ricotta mix and level it too. With the back of a spoon make seven holes, one in the center and six on the side and within these carefully lay 7 yolks making sure not to break them. Lightly beat the egg whites, sprinkle ricotta cheese on the surface and then add a thin layer of egg whites.
Dust with parmesan cheese, then roll one of the 180 gr dough balls and cover the filling with the third sheet, which will be smaller than the previous two; brush with oil as well. Then roll the last sheet and cover everything, then cut the extra dough exceeding from the edges and fold towards the inside of the pan forming a cord that will seal the sheets. Lightly brush with oil the Pasqualina surface.
Bake the pie in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 45 minutes. When ready, let it cool before removing from the pan.
Your Torta Pasqualina is now ready for a picnic on Easter Monday!
Deborah Bellotti
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