Torta verde (chard and ricotta pie) - Liguria
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
From Liguria, Antipasto (Starter) This is best baked in a metal cake tin so that the pastry crisps on the bottom as well. Store bought puff pastry can be used as a substitute for the dough to significantly cut down the preparation time. See notes below on variations (including torta pasqualina) and substitutions. For the illustrated step-by-step instructions please click here.
Serves: 12 servings
Ingredients
Dough
  • 500 gms strong bread flour, sifted
  • 5 gms/1 teaspoon salt
  • 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 300 gms water
Filling:
  • 1 kilo chard (preferred), beet greens, or spinach
  • 50 gms Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
  • 2 pinches of dried marjoram
  • 160 mls extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, skin removed, end cut, finely chopped
  • 10 large artichokes, frozen or fresh (not tinned), trimmed
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 55 gms breadcrumbs (can substitute 100 grams of cooked rice)
  • 250 mls whole milk (if using rice, reduce milk to 50 mls)
  • 4 eggs
  • 600 grams ricotta, drained
  • 20 grams butter
  • Salt
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Dough:
  1. Mix the flour and salt and drizzle the oil in, mixing with a fork. Add 300 mls of water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Knead for 15 minutes until the dough forms a soft, smooth, and elastic ball. If the dough is too wet use floured hands to add a bit more flour until it is no longer sticky. If the dough is too hard then sprinkle a bit of water on the dough and work to combine the water. Cover with a wet towel for 2 hours.
  2. Divide the dough into two balls with ⅔ of the dough in one ball and ⅓ of the dough in the other ball. Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface stretching it with your hands to 38 cm in diameter and place into a metal cake tin oiled with olive oil. (If the tin is not metal, then the pastry might be soggy.)
Filling:
  1. Heat the oven to 190C.
  2. Strain the ricotta.
  3. If using beet greens or chard, cut the ribs out. Wash the leaves well and cut finely with 1 ½ tablespoon of salt sprinkled over top and let sit for half an hour.
  4. Squeeze out the leaves to remove any moisture as you want the greens as dry as possible.
  5. Sprinkle the greens with 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and marjoram.
  6. Heat a large sauté pan and put 60 mls of the olive oil in the pan.
  7. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and add the onion, cooking for 5 minutes or until soft.
  8. Add the sliced artichokes and 100 mls of water (if you are using frozen artichokes then turn the heat up to medium) and cook until the artichokes are soft (about 10 minutes) and the water has evaporated and then season with salt and pepper.
  9. Add the prepared chard, beet greens, and/or spinach leaves and cook until soft, add the lemon juice and 60 mls extra virgin olive oil and turn off the heat.
  10. Mix the breadcrumbs and milk until the milk is absorbed.
  11. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 eggs with 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
  12. Add the ricotta to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
  13. Use a wooden spoon to mix the breadcrumbs and the eggs together.
  14. When the greens and artichokes are cool add the egg breadcrumb mixture and 80 mls of extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
  15. Evenly spread the filling into the cake pan with prepared crust with 1 inch of the crust hanging over the edge.
  16. Top the filling with some butter, salt and pepper, and 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
  17. Roll the smaller ball to 32 cm and place on top of the filling. Wet the edge of the bottom crust and fold and crimp the edges.
  18. Pierce the top of the crust with a fork, using your finger to make indentations, drizzle 20 mls of olive oil over the top.
  19. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.
Notes
If you cannot get fresh or frozen artichokes then it is best to omit them along with the onion and just add an extra 200 grams of the greens. If you want to add some cooked rice you can substitute ½ cup cooked rice for the breadcrumbs but then reduce the milk to 100 mls.

If you prefer to make torta pasqualina then make the recipe for the dough using 1.1 kilos of flour and 60 mls of olive oil. Break the dough into 33 pieces and pull each pieces as thinly as possible, brushing with oil in between the layers to make 11 layers on the bottom of the tart. Once the pastry is filled, use the back of a spoon to make 12 indentations in the filling, place a bit of butter in the cavity and fill it with shelled, whole eggs. Sprinkle some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt and black pepper over each egg before adding the 22 pastry layers on top.
Recipe by Living a Life in Colour at http://www.livingalifeincolour.com/how-much-do-you-know-about-easter/