Torta Pasqualina has its origins in Liguria, Italy, but it is prepared worldwide, especially during the Easter period. It is quick and easy to prepare, but above all, it is very suitable for classic Easter Monday picnics. In this gluten-free version, we use homemade puff pastry, which is also very simple and quick to prepare.
The combination of frozen and fresh spinach will favour the filling’s texture, making it fluffier and allowing you to have a nice thick pie. Spinach, ricotta and parmesan are classic elements. I have added a little bit of mustard, preferably English mustard for the hit, and lemon zest, which will enrich the taste of this already delicious pie.
Ingredients
For 4 people – 18cm cake tin – preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 30-35 minutes.
- 250g gluten-free puff pastry
- 300g frozen spinach (weighed from frozen)
- 100g fresh spinach
- 125gr ricotta
- 50g parmesan
- 1 lemon – just the zest
- 2 eggs
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mustard to taste
- Polenta or semolina as needed
Preparation
1 – Roll out the puff pastry between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut a disc of parchment paper of the pan’s diameter, including the height of the sides (18 + 4 cm), and use it as a guide to make a disc of puff pastry. Lay the puff pastry in the pan, making sure to adhere well around the edges. Put it in the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
2 – Carefully squeeze the thawed spinach, arrange them in a bowl together with the roughly chopped fresh spinach. Then add two egg whites (keeping the whole yolks for later), parmesan, ricotta, lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, and mustard. Mix everything carefully. Get the puff pastry shell from the freezer and pierce with a fork, sprinkle with polenta or semolina and place the spinach mix inside.
3 – Make two small wells, insert the egg yolks and cover with a second disc of puff pastry – with a knife, you can score the dough with the decoration you like best. Fold the edges inwards, brush with oil and a grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 200-220 ° C for at least 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
Tips and tricks
Keep the pastry cold while you roll it out. If you notice that it is warming up, put it in the fridge for a few minutes.
Frozen spinach tends to hold a lot of water. Squeezing it will make sure you don’t get a soggy bottom. Besides, semolina or polenta will be used to absorb any excessive moisture.
