Rustic ricotta and spinach pie, creamy and golden
A rustic savoury pie with a crisp puff pastry shell and a soft ricotta and spinach filling, seasoned with parmesan and a grating of nutmeg.
Are you looking for a ricotta and spinach pie that is genuinely creamy inside and crisp underneath, instead of the soggy version you may have met before?
Then this one is for you. I will walk you through a savoury pie with a deeply golden puff pastry shell and a soft filling, scented with parmesan and nutmeg, that slices cleanly without collapsing on the plate.
The secret is not in the shopping list, which is very short, but in two gestures: squeezing the spinach until it releases nothing at all, and working the ricotta until it turns velvety. After that the recipe almost makes itself.
It has at least three practical advantages: barely twenty minutes of hands-on work, ingredients you probably already keep in the fridge, and a flavour that is just as good the next day, which makes it perfect for a lunchbox or a picnic.
Want something richer? Fold diced cooked ham or well-drained chopped mozzarella into the filling. Prefer it lighter? Skip the egg wash: the crust loses a little shine but still bakes to a proper golden brown.
Serve it warm, once the filling has settled and the base is still crisp, with a seasonal salad alongside. It keeps for a couple of days in the fridge and a few minutes back in the oven brings it right back to life.
Ready? Let’s get started with the rustic ricotta and spinach pie.
Base preparations used
Steps
- Wash the spinach and wilt it in a pan with the oil and the crushed garlic clove over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until fully collapsed. If you use frozen spinach, thaw it first and cook it the same way.
- Remove the garlic, let the spinach cool slightly, then squeeze it with your hands as hard as you can: this step decides whether the pie stays dry or turns soggy. Chop it roughly with a knife.
- In a bowl, work the ricotta with a fork until creamy, then stir in the parmesan, the whole egg, a good grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper until you get a smooth mixture.
- Fold the chopped spinach into the ricotta mixture and taste to adjust the salt.
- Unroll the pastry with its baking paper into a tin, prick the base all over with a fork and spread the filling, leaving a 2 cm border free all around.
- Fold the border inwards to form a rim, brush the pastry with the beaten yolk and bake at 190°C (375°F) in a conventional oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and the filling is set.
- Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, so the wedges hold their shape.
Helpful tips
Squeeze the spinach until not a single drop comes out: excess water is the only real enemy of this pie.
If your ricotta looks very wet, leave it in a sieve for half an hour before using it.
Add diced cooked ham or a few spoons of chopped mozzarella to the filling for a richer, stretchier result.
It keeps for two days in the fridge and is excellent cold, cut into small squares for a buffet.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 385 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 26.0 g
- Sugars
- 3.0 g
- Protein
- 14.0 g
- Fat
- 24.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 11.0 g
- Fiber
- 3.0 g
- Sodium
- 480 mg
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