Last Updated on October 20, 2022 by Share My Kitchen
Spinach Ricotta Pie is one of the best and tastiest dishes! This is a great appetizer, an Italian side dish, or a vegetarian entree. It’s been a family favorite for many years!
This pie is perfect for buffets since it is made in a 9×13 pan every time. If you have eliminated processed foods from your diet, then you are in luck because this pie uses a crust made with butter instead of margarine.
It was delicious, and it tasted so much better! So, it may not be too far from your top favorite dishes.
Spinach Ricotta Pie – How to Begin
You will need to lay a pastry cloth on the counter, and then sprinkle flour over it. Yes, pastry cloths are a thing, and they exist to make it easier to roll out the dough. Then, to prevent the dough from sticking, you can also use a clean cloth sock to cover the rolling pin.
Next, place a glass pan face down on the cloth, and sprinkle flour around the pan in a rectangle frame, approximately two inches from the edges. This would act as a guide while you roll out the crust.
The dough needs to know you meant business, so it would react to your firm pressure and roll out quickly to a smooth consistency.
The crust may begin to separate at one point. This would probably make you panic and complain (and possibly cry). But you just need to pull the pastry together with your fingertips and roll it right over.
This is how it works!
Spinach Ricotta Pie Recipe Card
The spinach ricotta pie will look like art when it comes out of the oven.
Each piece will make you swoon and roll your eyes after every bite. It is heaven when you get a taste of the buttery crust combined with the cheesy spinach filling.
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 10-ounce packages of frozen leaf spinach (or 2 pounds fresh), thawed & drained
- 1 ½ pound of ricotta
- 1 small yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 7 tablespoons salted butter (if using fresh spinach, use 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 ¼ cup Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 5 eggs (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan (to sprinkle on top)
Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon salted butter (softened & cut into pieces)
- 5-6 tablespoons of very cold water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white)
- 1 egg white (beaten)
Instructions
- First, thaw frozen spinach in a microwave on defrost (spinach needs to still be raw). Then, drain the spinach in a colander in the sink.
- While the spinach drains, make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, you need to use a pastry cutter to slice the butter into the flour until you get coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the liquids (5 tablespoons of water, egg white, and vinegar). Then, add a bit of the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir well using a fork. Continue adding a small amount of liquid at a time and mix. Use a fork to incorporate the butter into the flour. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of water.
- Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic. Then, leave the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
- While the dough chills, chop the onion, garlic, and parsley, and grate the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano. Put them aside and prepare the counter to roll out the dough. You can use parchment paper or floured pastry cloth. Then, place a 9×13-inch glass pan on top of the surface, and sprinkle flour around the perimeter, about 2 inches beyond the edges. This will serve as the guide for your rolling.
- Remove the pan and put the dough in the middle of the flour rectangle. Use a floured rolling board (or a cloth-covered one) to firmly roll out the dough into a rectangle that is consistent with your outline.
- Make sure to press down, roll, and lift as necessary. If there’s dough that separates at the edges, you can push it back together using your fingertips and roll over it to smoothen it out. Transfer the dough to an ungreased baking pan once it is smooth and uniform in size (you can lift the parchment paper or cloth and transfer the dough to the pan).
- Any dough with overhangs should be trimmed. If the dough is too thin around the edges, you can fold it inside the pan’s rim prior to crimping them with your fingertips. If the dough is too thick, on the other hand, you can flute it without folding it under. Use cold water to brush the edges of your pan. This will ensure that the crust does not slip down and will stick to the rim. While you prepare the filling, place the raw crust in the refrigerator.
- Use paper towels to dry the spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. In a pan on the stove, melt the butter (and olive oil if you are using fresh spinach). Cook the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes over low heat. Then, add the spinach to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Romano into your pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in the spinach mixture, and add in the parsley and ricotta. Stir well until the ingredients are blended. Then, fold in the beaten eggs. Pour the filling in the pan with the raw crust. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and put the pan on the oven’s bottom rack. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until the surface is golden brown. Let cool for a couple of minutes before you slice.
Notes
- If you choose to use unsalted butter, you need to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the filling and 1 teaspoon of salt to the crust.
- You should not microwave this Spinach and Ricotta Pie. It will cause it to lose its texture and flavor. The leftover pie can be taken out of the fridge and allowed to come to room temperature. Or you can bake the pie in the oven at 350°F without a cover. You can start with 15 minutes, and then see if you need more.
