Spinach Pie

Easter is coming and in my family that means we make a lot of Pies! Not apple, or cherry, we make meat pies (pizza rustico), spinach pies, artichoke pies.. Pies to eat before our 5 course meal, same as Christmas dinner!

This is a pie you serve as an appetizer or with your main course. Either way, your family will be cheering.

What you will need:

2 Pie Shells (from the freezer section)
1 large bag of frozen chopped spinach
1 Large container of Part Skim Ricotta
1 Large Mozzarella for shredding or 1 bag of already shredded Mozzarella (Polly-o or Sorrento)
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano or locatelli cheese
2 eggs
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
1 Large Saute Pan
Large mixing bowl
1 or 2 baking sheets depending on how long they are. You need to be able to fit both pies.

In your Saute Pan, add in your olive oil to line the pan. Turn to med-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add in your garlic. let it start to get somewhat golden brown (less than a minute).Now add in your bag of frozen spinach (no need to thaw it before hand). Stir until cooked all the way (no longer frozen). Turn off your stove.

Preheat your oven now at 375 degrees.

In your large mixing bowl, add in your ricotta, shredded mozzarella, 2 eggs and grated cheese. Mix all together until the eggs are evenly spread throughout the mixture. Add in salt and pepper to taste. About 1 teaspoon of salt and about 3 shakes or grinds of pepper. Mix evenly again. Now take your spinach from the saute pan and add it to the mixing bowl. Again stir until the ingredients in the bowl are evenly distributed.

You should definitely have enough for both pie shells. Add in your mixture to each pie shell. You should leave a little room at the top (don't fill all the way). The ingredients will rise during the baking stage.

Place your pies on the baking sheet/sheets. Put in the oven, it should be preheated to the correct temp by now. Set your timer for 30 minutes. Check periodically after the first 15 minutes. All ovens vary in levels of temperature and cooking time. You want to take your pies out once the top has turned a golden brown.


Tip: I usually place foil around the edges of the pie, sometimes they tend to cook quicker then the inside. To avoid burning the edges, i add the foil, then at the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time, i remove the foil so that the edges can get a nice golden brown color.

You don't serve this dish right out of the oven. If you do, the inside will just spread out once you cut into the pie. Let is hang out for about an hour. Serving this at room temperature to warm is the way to go!

Buon Appetito!