Chard Ricotta Pie Food

CHARD, LEMON & CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Drain the ricotta in a sieve for a few mins to remove the whey. Thoroughly wash the chard, and in a clean tea towel, dry the chard, then finely slice.
• Heat the olive oil in a wok over a medium heat, add the leek, onion, garlic, chilli, preserved lemon, cumin and fennel seeds with a big pinch of salt and cook until the leek and onion are softened and fragrant - about 10 mins. Add the chard, herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice and season, cook for a few mins until the leaves are wilted but not mushy. Allow to cool, and then squeeze the chard in a sieve to remove any excess moisture.
• Whisk the eggs in a bowl until a little frothy and mix in the ricotta and feta. Stir in the greens mixture until well combined and grate over some nutmeg.
• Remove the filo from the pack. Brush the inside of a 20 x 9cm deep cake tin with a little rapeseed oil, and lay a sheet of filo in it, smoothing over the base and up the sides with your fingers - it should cover the bottom and reach up the sides, overhanging the edge. Brush with more oil to cover the pastry and repeat, laying another sheet to make sure the base is completely covered. Gradually build up the layers, brushing with plenty of oil between sheets, adjusting the positioning of the sheets to get even coverage until the tin is fully lined.
• Fill the tin with the cheese and greens mixture and cover with the filo, brushing with oil between layers and on the top. Add herbs between the layers for a pretty touch. Crumple the filo in the middle of the pie for an extra crispy ruffled texture and scatter with a few more fennel seeds. Bake for 50 mins until golden and the filling is set. Allow to settle for at least 20 mins before removing from the tin. Cool completely and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

CHARD & RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9 1/2 pie plate (use a glass deep-dish).
• Clean chard well. Separate stems from leaves; cut off bottom 2 inches of stems. Slice stems thin and coarsly chop leaves.
• Using a 12 inch skillet, heat oil. When hot, add stems and stirring frequently until browned (about 5 minutes). Add onions, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add leaves and cook about 5 minutes, sitrring frequently until wilted and any water is gone.
• Wisk together in a large bowl the eggs, milk, ricotta, parmesan cheese and cornstarch; then add chard mix.
• Pour into prepared pie plate. Bake 40 minutes or until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean.

SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA SLAB PIE

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add about a third of the butter and process until thoroughly combined with no visible chunks of butter (the mixture will be slightly yellow). Add the remaining butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a very coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Add the vinegar in a single pulse. Gradually add 1/4 cup ice water through the feed tube, pulsing just until evenly combined. Squeeze a handful of the dough together-it should just hold its shape and be a little crumbly. If still very powdery, pulse again, adding up to 2 tablespoons ice water.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Pat about two thirds of the dough into a square about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining third of dough. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• For the filling: Nest a colander in a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large high-sided pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, chard stems, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer to the colander.
• Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil in the pan; add half the chard leaves and a sprinkle of salt. Stir until the leaves are wilted and cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the colander. Repeat with the remaining oil and chard leaves. Press the cooked chard with the back of a large spoon or dry measuring cup to squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Let cool completely.
• Whisk together the ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
• To assemble the pie: Adjust an oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish and lightly beat the remaining egg in a small bowl.
• Let the dough pieces stand at room temperature for a few minutes until slightly softened to make rolling easier. Place the larger piece of dough between two large pieces of floured parchment and roll into a rough 14-inch square, 1/8-inch thick (if the dough gets too soft, pop it in the fridge to firm up, then continue rolling). Roll the smaller piece into a rough 11-inch square in the same manner.
• Transfer the larger piece of dough to the prepared baking dish. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the dish, leaving some overhang. Brush the bottom and sides with some of the egg wash. Sprinkle the bottom with breadcrumbs and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Add the cooled chard and pat down gently. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on top.
• Put the remaining dough over the filling, lining up the edges with the bottom piece of dough as best you can. Pinch the edges together, trim any excess, then fold and crimp the edges to form a tight seal. Brush the top and edges of the crust with the egg wash and cut decorative slits in the top of the pie. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
• Bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If the crust browns too quickly, cover the pie loosely with foil.) Let cool at least 1 hour before serving.

SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA CROSTATA

Steps:

• Combine the flour, Parmesan, mascarpone, salt, cayenne and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse, pulse, pulse, until it looks very dry and crumbly--what I like to call the Parmesan stage. Add the eggs and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and is very aromatic remove it and discard, it has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the Swiss chard stems, leeks and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and season with salt. When the water has evaporated and the stems and leeks are soft, add the leaves. Season the leaves with salt and saute until they are very soft and wilted. Remove from the heat and allow the Swiss chard to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, cayenne and the Swiss chard mixture. Mix to thoroughly combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed (it will). Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let warm up for about 10 to 15 minutes, this will make it really much easier to roll out.
• Dust a large clean work surface with flour and roll the dough into a large circle about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a large sheet try lined with parchment paper. Lay the dough out flat, don't worry about the overhang on the sides. Put the filling in a large circle in the center of the rolled out dough leaving a 3 to 4-inch border of dough along the outside edge. Fold the dough up around the filling to make a "free-form pie". Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the crust is firm, golden brown and shiny, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, this will allow it to up for easier slicing.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.
• What a delightful lunch!!!

SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA STUFFED ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut out the stems from peppers and discard. Remove the seeds and clean out the white ribs. Season them inside with salt and pepper. Rub the outsides of the peppers with vegetable oil and place them, stem side down, onto a baking sheet. Bake them for 30 minutes, or until the skins are wrinkled and slightly charred. Remove the peppers from the oven and put them into a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let them steam until they are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers, making sure to keep them whole, and set aside.
• While the peppers are baking and steaming, make the pesto: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. When the water is boiling, add the basil leaves. After 5 seconds (yes, 5 seconds) remove the basil and immediately put it into the ice water. (This will keep the pesto green.) When it is cold, drain the basil and squeeze out any excess water. Put the basil into a food processor or blender and add the pine nuts, cheese, and garlic. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cook the eggplant until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Transfer them to a cutting board, let them cool a bit, and chop them finely with a knife. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan over medium-high heat. When it is melted, add the Swiss chard, cover the pan, and let the chard wilt for about 1 minute. Transfer the chard to a bowl. Add the vegetables, ricotta, 1 tablespoon of the pesto, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Stuff this mixture into the peppers, being careful to keep them whole. Place them on their sides into a lightly buttered baking dish. Sprinkle each pepper evenly with bread crumbs and bake until the tops are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with extra pesto.

SWISS CHARD AND HERB TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Put the flour, sugar and fine salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough just comes together, adding up to 2 more tablespoons ice water if needed. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. Ease into the prepared pan and press into the bottom and up the side; trim to make a 2-inch-high crust. Prick the bottom a few times with a fork; refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the dough-lined pan on a baking sheet. Line the dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are just lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights; continue baking until the crust is lightly golden all over, 15 to 20 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The crust can be made a day ahead; cover and store at room temperature.)
• Make the filling: Thinly slice the Swiss chard leaves and cut the stems into 1/4-inch slices. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and chard stems, season with kosher salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the dill and lemon zest and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the chard leaves and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Let the filling cool, then squeeze out the excess moisture.
• Transfer the filling to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the shredded cheddar, half-and-half, parmesan, egg and nutmeg. Pour into the crust and bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes. Top immediately with shaved cheddar and let melt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• To make the pie crust: Into a bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and toss to combine, adding more water, if necessary, to form a dough. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, until firm.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle 1/8-inch thick and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp the edge, prick the bottom, and chill while making the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the ricotta with the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in the candied fruit and chocolate chips. Pour the filling into the pie shell.
• Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until just set. Let cool and chill.

GREEK SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan (I like to use a ceramic dish for this). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. If you are not using phyllo dough for this, remove 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs, for brushing the crust, and crumble or blend in the feta. Toss with the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line the pie dish with two-thirds of the dough, or with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. For pie dough, roll out the other piece of the dough and place over the filling. Crimp the bottom and top edges together, then pinch an attractive fluted edge all the way around the rim of the pie. Brush the top with the beaten egg you set aside, and make a few slashes in the top crust so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.