Italian Easter Pie
Our Italian Easter pie or torta pasqualina is packed with spinach, three cheeses, and whole eggs. It’s a stunning main dish for your Easter dinner. This vegetarian pie is made with rough puff pastry for a flaky, buttery finish. You need to put this pie on your Easter menu!
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 568kcal
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2⅓ cups yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup spring onion green and white parts, sliced
- 9 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed
- 1½ cups fresh curly parsley sprigs packed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 medium eggs
For the Pastry
- 1.3 lb puff pastry
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
Making the Filling
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, then add the sliced green onions and continue to cook until golden. Set aside.
- Add the spinach and fresh parsley to the frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has fully evaporated and the leaves are wilted.
- Put the spinach mixture in a large sieve and use the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. To get the last of the liquid out, squeeze fistfuls of the mixture with your hands. This prevents a leaking, soggy pie, so don't skip this step.
- Mix the cooked onions and spinach together, then stir in the cream cheese, grated cheeses, and seasonings until well blended. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Baking the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a large, rimmed cookie sheet in the oven to preheat. Beat one large egg until well blended.
- Set aside about ⅓ of the pastry for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch (3mm) thick, then use it to line a 9-inch, loose-bottomed tart pan. Trim off any excess pastry.
- Spread the filling evenly in the pastry, then make four large holes for the eggs, spacing them equally apart. You'll have extra filling that you can bake in a ramekin and enjoy separately. Then, crack an egg into each hole.
- Roll out the remaining pastry until it's just big enough to cover the pie. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg, then lay the top over it and press the edges to seal. Trim off the excess pastry and brush the top with beaten egg. Cut a few small vent holes in the top and decorate with leftover pastry as desired.
- Bake the torta pasqualina at 400°F for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is well risen and a rich golden brown. Some liquid will seep out of the pan during cooking, so make sure to bake it on top of the rimmed cookie sheet.
- Let the torta pasqualina cool for a minute in the pan, then remove and place on the serving plate. Allow it to stand for about 30 minutes before slicing to allow the eggs and filling to set.
Notes
- Adjust the seasonings to taste. Make it how you like it.
- Press out as much liquid as possible from the spinach.
- Use medium eggs, not large ones, as they will fit much better in the filling.
- Put the torta pasqualina on top of a cookie sheet as it bakes to catch any liquid that seeps out.
- Let the Easter pie cool for 30 minutes before cutting to allow the filling to set.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4421IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 3mg
