Torta di Spinaci e Broccoli ( Spinach & Broccoli Pie)

"This torta was always referred to as a "pie" in both our and my maternal grandmother's home. Usually it was made with whatever greens and herbs were either available in the nearby fields or at the greengrocer's.

• 1 pound frozen spinach
• 1 pound frozen broccoli
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound sausage meat - Italian (See Note #2 below)
• 1/2 cup black, pitted olives (Not canned olives!)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dough

• 2 1/4 cups flour - all purpose unbleached
• 2 large eggs beaten with a little water and salt
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons warm water

METHOD

Dough: Put wet ingredients in a well made in the flour - if mixing by hand. Is using a food processor, add wet ingredients to flour in the processor bowl. In either case, mix until a smooth dough is obtained. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Filling: Thaw spinach and broccoli in either hot water or in microwave oven. Drain well and squeeze to remove most of the water.

Fry sausage meat in half the olive oil, then drain off fat. Add all other ingredients including spinach and broccoli, and mix well.

Preparing the Torta: Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Roll out half the dough and press into a deep pie pan. Lay this piece into an oiled pie plate, making sure that dough rests on bottom of pan with no air pockets. Let dough hang over sides for now. Spoon filling into the pan, gently pressing it from time to time to remove air pockets. Stop when filling reaches about 1/4 inch from top.

Roll out second piece of dough. Wet edges of dough forming the bottom with either water or milk, and place second piece of dough on the torta. Use the tines of a fork to attach top piece to bottom along top edge of pan. Cut excess dough hanging off the sides with a scissors.

Snip 3 or 4 small holes in the top of the dough to allow air and liquid to escape while baking. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and place on a rack. Allow to cool, then remove torta.

The torta may be served warm, at room temperature or cold. We like it best served at room temperature with a good olive oil drizzled over it. It may be served as a main course or as an appetizer.

Contributor: Jerry De Angelis - click for article & more recipes

"Swiss Chard may be substituted for the spinach. Ingredients are described as "bunches" in some cases. That is because these vegetables come in bunches, i.e. a bunch of beets, a bunch of greens, etc. Actually the exact proportion of each green is not important, and the dish is still good when either ingredients or proportions thereof are varied." Jerry De Angelis

back to Easter article      back to article on Italian Easter pies       recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

 

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