Artichoke, Chard & Ricotta Pie (Torta Verde)- Liguria, Antipasto (Starter)

Directions

1. Dough: Mix the flour and salt and drizzle the oil in, mixing with a fork.
2. Add 130 mls of water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.
3. Knead for 15 minutes until the dough forms a soft, smooth, and elastic ball. If the dough is too wet use floured hands to add a bit more flour until it is no longer sticky. If the dough is too hard then sprinkle a bit of water on the dough and work to combine the water. Cover with a wet towel for 2 hours.
4. Oil a metal cake tin with olive oil. (If the tin is not metal, then the pastry might be soggy.)
5. Divide the dough into two balls with ⅔ of the dough in one ball and ⅓ of the dough in the other ball. Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface stretching it with your hands to 38 cm in diameter and place into the prepared cake tin.
6. Heat the oven to 190C.
7. Filling: Strain the ricotta cheese.
8. If using beet greens or chard, cut the ribs out. Wash the leaves well and cut finely with 1 ½ tablespoon of salt sprinkled over top and let sit for half an hour.
9. Squeeze out the leaves to remove any moisture as you want the greens as dry as possible.
10. Sprinkle the greens with 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and marjoram.
11. Stir to combine.
12. Heat a large sauté pan and put 60 mls of the olive oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and add the onion.
13. Cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft.
14. Add the sliced artichokes and 100 mls of water (if you are using frozen artichokes then turn the heat up to medium) and cook until the artichokes are soft (about 10 minutes) and the water has evaporated and then season with salt and pepper.
15. Add the prepared chard, beet greens, and/or spinach leaves.
16. Cook until the greens are soft and add the lemon juice and 60 mls extra virgin olive oil. Remove from the heat.
17. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and milk until the milk is absorbed.
18. In another bowl, add the 4 eggs with 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
19. Beat the eggs and cheese together.
20. Add the strained ricotta to the eggs. Mix together.
21. Use a wooden spoon to mix the breadcrumbs and the egg mixture together.
22. When the greens and artichokes are cool, add the egg breadcrumb mixture.
23. Stir to combine and add 80 mls of extra virgin olive oil .
24. Mix well.
25. Evenly spread the filling into the cake pan with prepared crust with 1 inch of the crust hanging over the edge. Top the filling with some butter, salt and pepper, and 20 grams of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
26. Roll the smaller ball to 32 cm and place on top of the filling. Wet the edge of the bottom crust and fold and crimp the edges. Pierce the top of the crust with a fork, using your finger to make indentations, drizzle 20 mls of olive oil over the top.
27. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.
28. NOTES If you cannot get fresh or frozen artichokes then it is best to omit them along with the onion and just add an extra 200 grams of the greens. If you want to add some cooked rice you can substitute ½ cup cooked rice for the breadcrumbs but then reduce the milk to 100 mls. Torta pasqualina is made with 33 layers of pastry (representing Christ’s age when he was crucified) and a dozen eggs are baked on the top of the filling under the pastry (representing the 12 apostles, the primary disciples of Jesus). If you prefer to make torta pasqualina then make the recipe for the dough using 1.1 kilos of flour and 60 mls of olive oil. Break the dough into 33 pieces and pull each pieces as thinly as possible, brushing with oil in between the layers to make 11 layers on the bottom of the tart. Once the pastry is filled, use the back of a spoon to make 12 indentations in the filling, place a bit of butter in the cavity and fill it with shelled, whole eggs. Sprinkle some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt and black pepper over each egg before adding the 22 pastry layers on top.