This spinach ricotta pie or pascualina is perfect for Easter or a vegetarian entree. Delicious spinach pie filling with flavorful ricotta and parmesan cheese, in a crispy and flaky crust. The wonderful surprise is the beautiful egg inside!
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What Is Pascualina?
Pascua means Easter in Spanish and Italy. Pascualina or also known as torta pasqualina is a spinach and ricotta pie that is traditionally associated with Easter in Italy. Its ingredients that stay away from meat are perfect for Lent.
It's originally from Liguria, a region in Italy. It's been brought to Argentina and Uruguay by Italian immigrants.
Why This Recipe Works
This is my husband Marco's family recipe that has been handed down for generations. It never fails regardless of who's making it, including me, an Asian! Another family recipe is his ricotta and spinach crepe cannelloni, milanesa steak, and authentic Argentine chimichurri. Yum!
This Italian spinach pie with puff pastry is so easy to make despite its fancy looks. Trust me.
It's packed with veggies and protein, which makes it perfect for a healthier option that's not just another bowl of salad. Right?
As with all typical traditional recipes, this easy spinach and ricotta pie also uses basic ingredients that are available all year round. Perfect to make at any time, I mean how great is that?
Ingredients For This Pie
Spinach - Fresh ones, they're easier since they don't release so much liquid like frozen spinach. Spinach is an amazing ingredient, and I use it a lot in my spinach and feta gozleme. You've got to try it!
Ricotta - Is an Italian whey cheese. It's unique and mild in flavor, and it blends in easily with the other ingredients. If you're not familiar with it, I have a recipe that shows how to make ricotta at home.
Boiled eggs - I learned to make pascualina from Argentina using boiled eggs. You can also use raw ones, just crack them in the holes we prepare for the boiled ones, and they will cook perfectly in the oven.
Puff pastry - Traditionally, the crust for this Italian spinach ricotta pie had 33 layers, which was Jesus's age. Well, if you don't feel like making your own crust, puff pastry, or shortcrust pastry works great, no worries.
I love using puff pastry in pies like my basil chicken pot pie. Scrumptious!
Walnuts - To add a contrasting texture when biting into the pie. Pecans or other nuts work fine also.
*See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the spinach. Microwave the spinach for 3-4 minutes on max power until it's wilted. Leave to cool and then squeeze to drain its liquid. Chop into small pieces and place into a large bowl, set aside.
2. Cook the onion. Saute the onion and garlic on medium heat for more or less 10 minutes until the onion is translucent. Season with salt, black pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
3. Add the other ingredients - Add ricotta, parmesan, parsley, nutmeg, and walnuts, and mix well using a spatula. Adjust seasonings. Then mix in beaten eggs.
4. Place the boiled eggs. Make indentations in the pie filling with the back of a spoon and place the boiled eggs inside.
5. Brush with egg wash. Cover the pie with another sheet of puff pastry. Cut off the excess, seal, and crimp both sheets together. Brush the top with some egg wash.
6. Bake. Prick some holes all over the pie with a fork. Bake at 375ºF for 50 minutes. Leave for 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Enjoy your Italian Easter pie!
Recipe Expert Tips
- Drain the spinach. To avoid too much liquid that makes the spinach and ricotta pie too wet and soggy. We don't want that! So, drain the spinach as much as you can.
- Final taste before adding the eggs. Adjust the final seasonings before adding in the eggs. That way, you'll have an idea of what is lacking without having to worry about eating raw eggs.
- Undercook the boiled eggs. Since we're going to bake the boiled eggs in the pie, so I usually boil the eggs for just 8 minutes. This will prevent the eggs from getting too hard after baking.
- Let it rest. Leave the spinach ricotta pie to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing. This prevents the pie juice from oozing out too much, making the pie bottom soggy. I usually rest it for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
How Serve And Store
Serve - This Italian spinach ricotta pie can be served warm or cold. It can be a side dish or a vegetarian entree itself (as we usually enjoy it).
Store - In an air-tight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, if you want it hot.
Freeze - The boiled eggs don't freeze well, so remove them if you want to freeze the pie. Freeze in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat it if you wish.
If you love unique pies from all over the world, I'd highly recommend you make my Spanish tuna pie (Galician empanada). It's as delicious as it's beautiful!
Recipe FAQs
We always eat it as is, but you can have it with some salads on the side.
Yes, but remove the boiled eggs beforehand because they don't freeze well. Freeze the pie in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat if you wish.
Yes, you can microwave it for a few minutes or steam it until it's wilted. This is needed to drain its liquid and prevent the pie from getting soggy.
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📖 Recipe
Spinach Ricotta Pie (Pascualina)
Equipment
Ingredients
Pie Filling
- 16 oz (450 g) fresh spinach
- 2 white onions , diced
- 2 garlic cloves , diced
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 17 oz (500 g) ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (45 g) walnuts , chopped
- 1 cup (100 g) grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 3 large eggs
- 4 hard boiled eggs
- salt and black pepper to taste
Pie Crust
- 1 lb puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
- 1 large egg , for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF using top and bottom heat. Butter an 8-inch springform pan.
Preparing the spinach
- Microwave the spinach for 3 minutes using max power, until it's wilted. Leave to cool for a few minutes and squeeze out the liquid as much as possible.
- Roughly chop it and place it in a large bowl. Set aside.
Pie filling
- Saute the onion and garlic in a pan, on medium heat with some oil and a pinch of salt until the onion is translucent. It'll take more or less 10 minutes.
- Mix in chicken bouillon powder, and black pepper. Pour into the spinach bowl and leave to cool before adding in ricotta cheese, nutmeg, parsley, walnuts, and parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and black pepper and mix everything well.
- In another bowl, beat 3 eggs and then pour them into the spinach ricotta mixture. Give everything one last mix. Set aside.
Assemble
- Place 1 pastry sheet in the springform pan. Press it to the bottom and the sides of the pan. Spoon in the pie filling, spread evenly, and then make 4 holes with the back of a spoon in the pie filling.
- Place 4 boiled eggs in the holes. Cover the pie with another puff pastry sheet, lightly pressing it on the pie filling. Cut off the excess puff pastries, pinch to seal, and crimp them together.
- Brush the puff pastry with some egg wash. Prick some holes on top using a fork.
Bake
- Bake on the lower ⅔ rack for 45-50 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave for 30 minutes before removing it from the springform pan. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don't use/own a microwave, you can steam the spinach instead.
- Microwaved/steamed spinach holds lots of heat. Make sure to cool them first before squeezing out the liquid.
- Leaving the pie to set longer after it's baked prevents the pie juice from oozing out, thus avoiding a soggy-bottomed pie.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Originally published on Aug 16, 2017. Updated with improved text, recipe, and pictures on Apr 1, 2023.
Miriam Costantini-Moore says
Love your recipe!! Super easy to do and delicious!!
Bea & Marco says
Thank you Miriam! So happy to know you liked it 🙂
Patricia Swanson says
Every good meal needs a crown with a star. This recipe was IT for me a few days ago. I altered the recipe just a tad to use a 9” spring form pan. I expanded it a little. I used a pie crust for the bottom and the top. It was delicious. My guests were amazed. The only issue I had was that in Aurora, CO, altitude 5480 feet above sea level, it took an extra 30 minutes to cook properly. I used a thermometer and I gauged it being done by the crust. Thank you.
Bea & Marco says
Oh yay! I'm so happy to hear that it worked for you regardless. It warms our hearts to know that Marco's family's recipe is being enjoyed all the way across the sea over there. Thank you!
Adriana says
Hi, Bea! Great idea for Easter. I promise I'll make it, cross my heart! 🤞I am also making a pie for Easter, in my family for generations.(Traditionally it is made with lamb meat and organs.But, as we do not eat lamb, we replaced it with chicken) It is called "Drob de pui(chicken spring pie)." Ingredients are:chicken liver, hearts and thighs (boiled separately with salt, colled a little and minced), onion(diced and cooked with a litgle salt&pepper), spring onions and spring garlic (green and white) chopped, parsley, dill, raw eggs, sour cream, nutmeg, pepper, a dash of cinnamon, inside :boiled eggs, puff pastry(bottom and top),egg wash. In the oven 175-180°C until golden brown. Serve it at room temperature with fresh radishes, spring onions, fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and with love, lots of love and joy! ♥️Happy Easter! 🎊 Adriana🤗
Bea & Marco says
Hi Adriana! Your drob de pui sounds so interesting and delicious! I love to try new food and I wish I could try yours! Thank you for the recipe, will definitely keep it to try. Happy Easter to you and your loved ones, big hugs from us!