This pie is a classic, with a unique crust made with oil that is flaky and fabulous! I grew up eating it and have lost count of how many times I made it. It's a traditional Italian Easter pie and can be served hot or at room temperature. The crust and filling can be made ahead, making it quicker to assemble.
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Classic Italian pie
I grew up eating this pie. It was a must-make, especially for those of us with an Italian heritage, and each household had its perfect recipe.
We eat it year-round, and it was much later that I found out it's a classic for Easter week. The name gave it away (Torta pasqualina comes from Pascuas, which means Easter), but I was too young to notice.
It's tasty, with a spinach ricotta filling, and stunning when you cut into the hard-boiled eggs.
But in my opinion, the crust takes the applause. It's made with oil and it's very simple. Yet, it's incredibly flaky and different. You'll fall in love with it; just wait and see.
This recipe joins one of my other favorites, pizza rustica, a savory ricotta pie, and a list of several new Easter recipes I shared this past month.
Testing Notes
The crust can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for several days. The key is to cover it well in plastic so it doesn't dry out.
The amount of filling can vary depending on your personal preference. I like the flaky crust to be an important part of the pie, but you can make a recipe and a half if you want a different ratio, or you can also go the opposite way and make a slab pie, where the crust is very present.
Are the eggs necessary? I thought you'd never ask! Though they make for a dramatic presentation, you can omit them and make a spinach ricotta pie. In fact, I'm not particularly fond of them, but let's keep that between ourselves. I almost didn't include them, but they're a must if you want a classic Italian Pasqualina.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- Pie crust with oil. I use olive oil because, you know, Italy, but you can use sunflower or another neutral vegetable oil.
- Ricotta. Use full-fat ricotta cheese for a richer and tastier pie. But you can use low-fat fat, and the pie will still be good.
- Spinach: it has to be cooked and can be fresh or frozen. Always drain it very well to avoid adding unwanted liquid to the filling.
Pie crust with oil
This is an easy-to-make and incredibly wonderful pie dough to work with. It's very friendly when rolled thin, which is what we need for this pie.
Organize your space. Make sure you have ample space in your counter, some flour ready to lightly dust the surface, the rolling pin, the pan, and, ideally, a pastry or dough scraper (or cornet) or cookie spatula to help you lift it up after it's rolled.
Make ahead: It's a great dough to refrigerate for a few days. But you must cover it well with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.
Easy mixing
I use a fork to mix and then knead it by hand. You can use a food processor, but it's a small amount, so I find it more of a hassle than help. But it can be convenient, especially when doubling the recipe.
I like to make it by hand, but a food processor is convenient, especially if doubling the recipe.
Let it rest
Cut it into 6 pieces. They need to rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge before rolling, so plan for it.
Pile and roll
Start with cold pieces of dough and make two crusts.
Stack 3 pieces for each crust, one on top of the other, flattening them slightly and lightly flouring in between each piece. This will create the flakiness.
Roll the whole pile until it is thin and cut it into two pieces. Cover well and refrigerate if not lining the pan immediately.
Line the pan
You can do this ahead of time, prick it and pop it in the freezer. When it's time to make the pie, blind-bake it directly without thawing.
We don't pre-bake (blind-bake) this crust.
Filling and assembly
Cooked, drained and chopped spinach: Make sure you drain the greens well. You know how spinach is; it seems you're never able to squeeze all the liquid out. As much as you can is fine.
Ricotta: If it's too watery, drain it too. I use a fine-mesh sieve or colander over a bowl and leave it for a few hours before starting the pie filling.
Spinach ricotta filling
The filling ingredients are mixed and integrated with a spatula or spoon. No need to beat or use an electric mixer.
Add the hard-boiled eggs
Place the eggs on top of the spinach filling, making an indentation first with the back of a spoon. You'll need four so that each slice gets half an egg.
Top crust
If there's some dough overhang, fold it inward and pinch to seal.
Prick the top (not over the eggs) before baking to let the steam escape.
Baking
The spinach and whole eggs are already cooked, so it's just the eggs mixed in the filling that need to set and the crust to get golden brown and flaky.
Kitchen Notes
Organization: Read the recipe first and ensure you have the ingredients at the correct temperature, the utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Baking time: Consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Storage: Keep it refrigerated for up to 5 days, always covered to prevent dryness. It can be frozen and reheated until the crust is crisp again.
Serving: It can be eaten hot or at room temperature, so it's great for brunch, picnics and outdoor gatherings. Make sure you cut so that each piece has half an egg.
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Italian Spinach Pie (Tarta Pasqualina)
Ingredients
Oil dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup olive or sunflower oil
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Spinach ricotta filling:
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 10.5 ounces cooked spinach, drained or strained to remove excess liquid, and chopped
- ¾ cup whole ricotta, drained if too watery
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- pinch of ground nutmeg, or to taste
To finish:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the pie dough:
- Stir 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup olive or sunflower oil, ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl until combined (I use a fork or spatula) and knead by hand for about 5 minutes until smooth. This is a super easy dough and very supple to work with.
- Divide it into 6 pieces, form into rough balls, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour.
- Once the resting time is up, make two piles af 3 buns each, flattening them slightly and placing one on top of the other with a little flour dusted in between each one. The flour will help separate the layers as they bake and create flakiness.
- Roll out with a rolling pin to make the crust. It should be thin.
- Repeat the same procedure with the other 3 buns for the second crust. Wrap each in plastic if not using immediately and keep refrigerated.
Make the filling:
- Lightly brown ½ cup finely chopped onion in 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet until slightly softened. Let it cool slightly.
- Drain ¾ cup whole ricotta if it has too much whey.
- Mix it with 10.5 ounces cooked spinach, 2 eggs, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and pinch of ground nutmeg in a large bowl.
Assemble the pie:
- Line an 8-inch pie plate or springform cake pan brushed with a little olive oil with one of the crusts.
- Add the spinach filling, smoothing the top. Place the eggs at each quarter, creating a cross if you make an imaginary line connecting opposite eggs.
- Cover with the remaining crust, seal the edges, or fold them in if you have overhang.
- Stir 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the top. Prick the surface lightly with a fork and sprinkle 2 teaspoons sesame seeds over the top.
- Bake for about 40 to 45, until golden brown and flaky.
- Serve hot or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
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