the greens pie i can’t stop craving after italy
all i want for new years is spinach
earlier this year, i spent four weeks travelling through italy on my honeymoon, and there was one thing i loved almost more than the sweets in the pasticcerie
the ubiquitous greens pie, often called torta verde, scarpazzone, or erbazzone
always some combination of greens and olive oil, wrapped into a handheld wedge that could be eaten at room temperature on a church step or train platform
sometimes the filling held currants, or eggs, or cheese, rice, bacon, herbs, or beans
sometimes the greens were spinach, chicory, or swiss chard
i loved every version i tried, and still find myself craving it months later, particularly after a hike where i haven’t eaten a vegetable in days
this is the penny’s kitchen version, with a mountain of spinach (sadly we can’t easily get chicory), onion, garlic, sumac for brightness, and of course, parmesan
sometimes we add beans, sometimes eggs, sometimes baby peas, and whatever green herbs are languishing in the fridge
this is not a traditional recipe, just my memory-driven version of the greens pies i ate across italy
ingredients
dough
200g plain flour
1 tsp salt
100g warm water
20g olive oil, plus more to oil the bowl
spinach filling
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
500g spinach (i used frozen)
2 tbsp sumac
0.25 tsp oregano
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp salt, to taste
0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
zest and juice from 1 lemon
optional:
2 eggs, or
1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp currants
60g parmesan, grated, plus more to grate on top
method
dough
add the flour (200g), salt (1 tsp), and warm water (100g) to a mixing bowl
stir together until a shaggy dough is formed
add the oil (20g) and mix in
knead until it forms a plump, smooth ball
add a good glug of olive oil to the bowl and return the dough to the bowl, flipping the dough so it is evenly coated in oil to prevent it drying out
cover with plastic wrap and set aside, while you prepare the filling
spinach filling
add the oil (2 tbsp) to a saucepan over medium heat
finely dice the onion (1) and add the the pan
cook until the onion is softened and lightly browned
slice the garlic cloves (3), then add to the pan and cook for 30 seconds
add the spinach (500g) and stir together
let cook until the spinach has started to wilt and reduce in volume
add the sumac (2 tbsp), oregano (0.25 tsp), chilli flakes (2 tsp), salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (0.5 tsp) and stir through
cook down until the liquid has evaporated, to prevent a soggy dough bottom
remove from the heat and let cool while the dough finishes rising
test for seasoning and add more salt if required
once cooled and off the heat, stir through the lemon zest and juice (from 1 lemon), parmesan (60g), and eggs, beans, or currants, if using
assembly
preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced
roll out the dough to a large circle wider than your pie dish, with a thickness about 1cm for the bottom of the pie, tapering to 0.5cm thickness at the outer edges
if the dough is springing back and resisting, cover and let rest for a further 10-15 minutes
lay the dough circle over a lightly oiled pie dish, lifting up the sides as needed to settle the base into the pie dish without the dough stretching over the edges
spoon the spinach filling evenly into the dough and smooth the surface
fold over the edges of the dough to cover the spinach filling
it doesn’t matter if the top is fully covered, this is a really rustic style pie!
grate a little more parmesan over the top of the pie, then transfer to the oven
bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped
remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving
best served lukewarm, or cold from the fridge the next day