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Whole baked Ligurian greens pie in a fluted tart pan, one wedge lifted to show the chard and ricotta filling

Baked Torta di Verdura Ligure with Chard and Ricotta

A Ligurian two-crust pie filled with squeezed chard and spinach, ricotta, Parmigiano and marjoram. It bakes in 45 minutes and keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Light Main Course
Cuisine: Italian (Ligurian)
Calories: 346

Ingredients
  

Olive oil dough
  • 300 g all-purpose or 00 flour
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 150 ml lukewarm water
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
Greens filling
  • 800 g Swiss chard stems and leaves, washed
  • 400 g spinach washed
  • 1 yellow onion small (100 g); finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for the onion
  • 300 g whole-milk ricotta drained
  • 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp fresh marjoram chopped, or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
To finish
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp for the pan, 1 tbsp for the top

Method
 

Make and rest the dough
  1. Stir the flour and 1/2 tsp salt together in a bowl. Add the water and 3 tbsp olive oil, then knead on the counter for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide into one piece of about 330 g and one of about 160 g, cover, and rest for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
Cook the greens and mix the filling
  1. Slice the chard stems 1 cm thick and roughly chop the leaves. Roughly chop the spinach.
  2. Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a 5-quart / 4.7 L pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft and pale. Add the chard stems and cook 3 minutes, then add the chard leaves and spinach in handfuls and cook 5 minutes until collapsed and tender.
  3. Tip the greens into a colander and cool for 15 minutes. Squeeze them hard in a clean kitchen towel until almost no liquid drips out. You should have about 300 to 350 g. Chop them finely.
  4. Mix the ricotta, Parmigiano, eggs, marjoram, nutmeg, 3/4 tsp salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the greens until evenly combined.
Assemble and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F with a rack in the lower third. Brush a 24 cm / 9.5-inch tart pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Roll the larger piece of dough to a 34 cm round about 3 mm thick, drape it into the pan, press into the corners and leave the overhang.
  2. Spoon in the filling and smooth the top. Roll the smaller piece to a 26 cm round, lay it over the filling, then fold the bottom overhang over the edge and crimp with your fingers. Prick the top 6 to 8 times with a fork and brush with 1 tbsp olive oil.
  3. Set the pan on a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18-inch sheet pan and bake for 45 minutes, until the top is deep gold, the edges are crisp and the filling feels set when pressed.
  4. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Unmold, cut into 8 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Rest the dough 30 minutes, covered, so it rolls thin without shrinking back.
  • Squeeze the greens twice: once in a colander, then again in a towel.
  • Bake in the lower third of the oven so the bottom crust browns.
  • Cool 20 minutes before unmolding so the filling sets and slices cleanly.
  • Brush the top with olive oil just before baking for a blistered gold finish.