Italian Savory Easter Pie With Ricotta, Spinach and Eggs (Torta Pasqualina)
This Easter Pie Recipe is more like a tart with a top and bottom crust, and a filling of eggs and a ricotta spinach mixture. Wedges of this Easter cake recipe make a wonderful addition to any Easter meal paired with other traditional Easter dishes.
To make the Easter cake, you start by making a dough with flour, salt, water, and olive oil. Then, you make a filling with ricotta, spinach, parmesan, egg, and salt. After that, some of the dough gets arranged in a cake pan and the filling goes on top along with some fresh eggs. Finally, the remaining does gets added on top to seal in the filling before the Easter cake is baked in the oven. Whether you want to have this for Easter brunch or lunch, this recipe will fit the bill perfectly!
What is Easter Pie?
This Easter pie is a savory cake that contains a ricotta and spinach filling, flaky crust, and eggs. It comes across more as a tart than a cake, though, since it includes a crust on the bottom and one on the top that seals in the filling.
The Easter cake is made in a deep springform pan since it has quite a bit of depth to it. When the filling gets added into the bottom crust, hollows are indented in it to give a place for freshly cracked eggs to sit during the baking process.
Once baked, this Easter cake is removed from the pan and cut into wedges for serving. The combination of creamy ricotta spinach filling with the egg and pastry is so delicious as part of an Easter meal!
Pro Tips
- Allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes before you roll it out will result in a more tender, flaky pastry.
- If you don’t have frozen spinach, you could easily replace it with an equal amount of blanched spinach.
- Use a springform pan to make this recipe as it has enough depth to hold the filling. A springform pan also makes it easy to remove the cake from the pan.
- Using a spoon to create hollows in the filling will give a place for the eggs to sit without spilling all throughout the filling.
- If you don’t have parmesan cheese, you can replace it with pecorino romano instead.
What to Serve with Easter Cake?
This Easter cake recipe pairs well with fresh salads like caprese salad or steamed green vegetables, such as asparagus. You could even serve it with roasted root vegetables if desired.
Can You Use Swiss Chard Instead of Spinach?
Yes, Swiss chard is a perfect replacement for spinach. The only thing is that you can’t usually find Swiss chard frozen so you will need to cook it to use in your filling. Simply remove the green portions from the stems and reserve the stems for another use. Then, blanch the Swiss chard greens until they are wilted before using them in this recipe.
Can I Add Other Ingredients to the Spinach Ricotta Filling?
Yes, the beauty of this recipe is that it is easy to modify to your tastes. For example, a pinch of nutmeg is a wonderful addition to spinach and ricotta, and provides a pleasant undertone of flavour. You could also add finely minced onion or shallot, or fresh herbs to the filling.
Can I Make Easter Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes, this Easter cake heats quite well and could easily be baked up to 1 day ahead of when you plan to serve it. Simply place it in the oven to warm it up before your meal.
How to Store Easter Pie
This Easter cake should be stored in the fridge until you plan to serve it. Simply place it on a platter and cover it with plastic wrap. It should stay fresh for up to 4 to 5 days in this way.
Ingredients
How to Make Easter Pie
Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt, water, and olive oil until a dough forms; knead the dough until it is smooth. Cover it with plastic and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt, water, and olive oil until a dough forms; knead the dough until it is smooth. Cover it with plastic and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into four portions and roll them into thin discs.
Cut the dough into four portions and roll them into thin discs.
Place one disk of dough in a 20 cm springform pan so it comes up the sides. Brush it with olive oil and place another disk of dough on top.
Place one disk of dough in a 20 cm springform pan so it comes up the sides. Brush it with olive oil and place another disk of dough on top.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the spinach, salt, and parmesan, and 1 egg until combined.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the spinach, salt, and parmesan, and 1 egg until combined.
Spread the filling in the dough. Make four hollows in the dough.
Spread the filling in the dough. Make four hollows in the dough.
Crack the eggs in the hollows. Top the filling with the remaining two disks of dough, seal the edges, and brush the top with olive oil. Bake it in a 375 F/190 C oven for 50-55 minutes.
Crack the eggs in the hollows. Top the filling with the remaining two disks of dough, seal the edges, and brush the top with olive oil. Bake it in a 375 F/190 C oven for 50-55 minutes.
Remove the Easter cake from the pan and slice and serve.
Remove the Easter cake from the pan and slice and serve.
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