Torta Pasqualina (Italian Easter Pie)

The Torta Pasqualina (Italian Pasqualina Easter Pie) comes directly from the ancient Ligurian culinary tradition. This rustic cake is easy to prepare and is usually cooked for Easter.

We know that the recipe for this savory pie dates back to the Middle Ages, although the first mention is from the Sixteenth Century, by Ortensio Lando, who calls it “gattafura”.

According to tradition, the Ligurian women were able to prepare and overlap one another up to 33 sheets, one for each year of Jesus, just to associate the kitchen with the religious sentiment that marks Easter.

It is good warm but also cold, so that it is ideal for the Easter Monday picnic or for the Easter breakfast.

Ingredients

• Spinach: 500 gr
• Ricotta cheese: 200 gr
• Grated Parmesan cheese: 40 gr
• Grated pecorino cheese: 40 gr
• Eggs: 6
• Ready-to-use puff pastry: 2
• Pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Nutrients in a portion (100g)

• Calories 380
• Protein 20g
• Fat Total 23g
• Carb 23g

Step by step method

Step 1

Wash thoroughly and boil the chard in a saucepan with the lid for 10 minutes in lightly salted water. Then drain it, let it cool and squeeze it very well.

Step 2

Prepare the filling of the Pasqualina cake by mixing the ricotta well with 1 egg, Parmesan and pecorino. Work it well adding a little salt and pepper. When the mixture is well mixed, add the boiled chard. You can do this by combining the leaves as they are or chop them with a knife.

Step 3

Take a circular mold of 22 - 24 cm in diameter, not too low, and line it with baking paper and the first roll of puff pastry. Cover the mold, fill it with the ricotta and chard filling, previously prepared.

Step 4

Using a spoon, make 4 small grooves in the filling equidistant from each other. Peel a whole egg in each hollow so that it becomes firm during cooking. BEST AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RECIPES

Step 5

Close the cake with the second disc of puff pastry and fold the edge of the disc of the base inside sealing it gently.