Torta Pascualina Argentine Spinach Pie Recipes

GIANT GREEN PIE (TORTA PASQUALINA)

Steps:

• Make the dough: Put flour in a large mixing bowl. Stir together 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons oil, then pour over flour and mix until dough comes together in a rough ball. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky. Wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. (May refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature.)
• Make the filling: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in batches, blanch a handful of greens at a time, dropping them into the water until just wilted, then cooling in a colander under running water. Divide greens into 4 balls and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Chop greens coarsely with a large knife, then squeeze again. There should be about 4 cups cooked greens.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wide pot over medium heat. Add onions and a little salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add greens, season generously with salt and pepper, and mix well. Turn off heat. Add nutmeg, ricotta and half the Parmesan and mix. Taste and adjust; it should be highly seasoned. Beat 4 of the eggs. Set aside 3 tablespoons beaten egg; add remaining beaten egg to greens and mix well. Let cool.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough into 4 pieces and form into balls. Roll out each ball into a very thin 12-inch circle. Place 1 dough circle on a 12-inch pizza pan lined with parchment. Brush lightly with oil, then lay another dough circle on top. Spoon greens evenly over dough to a 2-inch thickness, leaving a 1-inch border of dough. Smooth the surface. With a soup spoon, make 5 indentations in greens and crack a raw egg into each depression. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with another dough circle and paint lightly with oil. Place last dough circle on top. Using a paring knife, trim any excess dough at perimeter of pie. Fold outer edges together and crimp to seal pie. Paint top with reserved beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Using a paring knife, make 2 or 3 steam vents.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, until very well browned. Slide torta onto a cutting board and let cool slightly before slicing. May also be served at room temperature.

TORTA PASQUALINA

Steps:

• If making the olive oil dough, put the flour on a clean surface into a mound, then add the salt, oil and enough water to make a smooth dough, about 1 cup.
• Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth, and divide the dough into 12 equal portions, and let rest for 1 hour, covered with a damp towel.
• If using puff pastry, allow the pastry to come to room temperature.
• While the dough is resting, begin to prepare the filling by cooking the spinach in a large pot.
• Drain, squeeze until very dry and chop, then season with salt and pepper.
• Add the crumbs to the spinach in a bowl, and add the ricotta, parmesan and cubed ham, and mix well.
• Beat two of the eggs, and fold into the spinach ricotta mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the olive oil dough, roll out each ball dough thinly on a lightly floured surface, into an 11-12 inch circle.
• Brush a 10 inch baking dish, or spring-form pan with a little oil, and drape the first sheet of pastry over the pan, allowing an equal amount to overlap the rim.
• Brush pastry with oil, and continue to roll out another 5 layers, brushing oil between each layer.
• If using puff pastry, roll out the two layers until fairly thin, making them large enough to cover a 10 inch spring-form pan with a good overhang to cover the filling.
• Lay one layer over the other to cover the bottom and sids of the pan.
• Put the filling into the pan, smoothing it evenly.
• Make four hollows evenly spaced around the filling, and carefully crack the eggs into the hollows.
• For the olive oil dough version, roll out the remaining balls of dough, brushing with oil between each.
• Roll over the pie, and press the edges inward.
• Brush the top with oil, and prick the top carefully, being careful not top pierce the eggs.
• For the puff pastry version, fold the overhanging edges of pastry over the top of the pie, folding to fit.
• Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and brush over the top of the puff pastry.
• Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown.
• Serve warm, or at room temperature.

TORTA PASQUALINA

Steps:

• Dough:
• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Drizzle in 1/2 cup ice water and pulse until a few shaggy pieces of dough form.
• Transfer dough (get all the dry bits) to a work surface. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. ice water over; knead to just barely bring dough together. Divide in half. Place a half on a piece of plastic wrap. Using plastic and your hands, form dough into a 3/4"-thick disk and tightly wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Filing and assembly:
• Working in batches, cook Swiss chard in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Swish to cool, then remove greens and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Transfer greens to a cutting board and finely chop (you should have about 4 cups).
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in greens. Let cool.
• Using a fork, whisk 4 eggs in a large bowl to blend. Add ricotta, Parmesan, and Swiss chard mixture and mix to combine. Add garlic, lemon zest, nutmeg, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• Let dough sit at room temperature 5 minutes to soften. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round about 1/8" thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roll out remaining disk of dough and carefully transfer to tart pan. Lift up edges and allow dough to slump down into pan. Press dough firmly into sides and bottom of pan. Trim, leaving about a 1/2" overhang. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl to blend and brush edges of dough.
• Scrape filling into pan, creating a mound in the center. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread filling over bottom, smoothing surface. Use a spoon to create 5 divots in filling and crack an egg into each. Season eggs with a bit of salt. Arrange remaining round of dough over filling. Trim edges of top round, leaving 1/2" overhang. Fold edge of bottom crust up and over top, then press edges together to seal. Crimp and brush top of dough with remaining beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar. Transfer pie to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill in freezer 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pie until crust is deep golden brown, 65-75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let pie cool in pan at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month. Pie can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

TORTA PASCUALINA (ARGENTINE SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the bottom crust in your pie plate.
• Cook the spinach, drain it, and chop it finely.
• Saute the chopped onion in a little cooking spray.
• Mix together the spinach, the onion, and the rest of the ingredients.
• Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
• Add the top crust and seal.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes.