Pizza rustica with olive oil pastry
For the Filling - 200g of baby spinach
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 300g of ricotta
- 1/4 cup of grated parmigiano
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino
- 2 eggs
- 1 few tablespoons of parsley leaves
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon)
- zest of 1/2 lemon
For the dough - 400 gr of 00 flour
- 60 ml of extra-virgin olive oil
- 200 ml of water
- A little extra-virgin olive oil and salt to sprinkle on top of the pastry
To make the dough combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Tip onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, until smooth. Rest for 20 minutes.
Sautee’ the spinach with garlic and oil, cover with a lid and cook until just wilted. Set aside to cool. Mix the ricotta with eggs, pecorino and parmigiano, nutmeg, lemon zest, parsley and seasoning. Add the cooled spinach and mix to combine. Rest in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
Turn up your oven to 220 C, conventional, Oil a 30×40 oven dish. Roll out the pastry to 3 mm thick (you want to see your fingers through it). Place it onto the oiled tray. You will see the pastry over hangs, which is what you want. Place the filling in the middle and spread through evenly. Tuck the overhanging pastry to enclose the filling safely. Brush the pastry with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and the pastry is cooked through. This savoury pie is lovely hot, but my preference is to serve it warm or at room temperature, with a squeeze of lemon.
