Ligurian Kale Pie (Torta di Verdura)
Updated Nov. 3, 2022
- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3bunches mixed dark greens (like kale, chard, dandelion greens, collards), washed, stalks trimmed by 2 inches
- 1½cups all-purpose flour
- 1cup whole-wheat flour
- Salt
- ¼cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1bunch scallions, white and light-green parts only
- 1cup mixed fresh herbs (like thyme, parsley, marjoram)
- Salt
- 2eggs
- 1cup grated hard cheese (Parmesan or Asiago)
- ½cup fresh cheese (ricotta, farmer's cheese or queso fresco)
- ½nutmeg, grated
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
258 calories; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 8 grams protein; 192 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the greens in a large pot. Add 3 cups of water, cover and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Transfer to a colander. Once cool, wring out the greens to remove as much water as possible.
- Step 2
Using a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flours and 2 teaspoons salt until combined. Add 1 cup cold water and ¼ cup olive oil and mix on medium speed for 8 minutes. (You can also mix by hand: Using a wooden spoon, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the wet ingredients until combined. Transfer to a floured board and knead for 10 minutes.) Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and let rest for at least 10 minutes. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place half of the greens in a food processor and pulse until the pieces are about the size of a grain of rice. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining greens. Process the scallions and herbs to a rough paste and mix into the greens. Stir in the egg, cheeses, 3 tablespoons olive oil and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt.
- Step 4
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Flour a flat surface and roll one of dough balls into a circle about 16 inches in diameter, ⅛- to 1/16-inch thick, and lay it on the cookie sheet. Scoop the filling onto the dough and spread it evenly to ¾ inch from the edge. Add more flour to the surface, roll out the second ball of dough and drape it across the filling. Trim the top layer so it hangs over the filling by ½ inch. Pinch together the layers. (If the dough doesn't stick, moisten the edges with a little water.) Slash two vents into the top of the pie and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Step 5
Bake until the pie is slightly puffy in the center and the filling has set, 40 to 50 minutes. If the top crust browns too quickly, cover it with foil. Cool before eating. It will keep 3 to 4 days at room temperature. If refrigerated, warm the slices in a skillet before eating.
Private Notes
Comments
After having a similar dish at Chase's Daily, in Belfast, Maine, I was delighted to find this recipe. I have made it a number of times, without the crust, as a casserole. I've used kale, dandelion greens, whatever greens the farmers market has. For Thanksgiving, I subbed cheddar for the Parmesan. It's an easy greens dish that reheats well, looks spectacular and tastes great. The texture of the greens after the food processor really adds to the appeal of the final product.
Wow I feel like I stumbled on a rare and amazing b-side of NYT cooking. This was definitely NOT a weeknight dinner but it was an amazing and delicious way to use LOTS of kale and fresh herbs from our garden. Few notes for future reference: For cheese I used a 50/50 mix of parmigiano reggiano and pecorino romano. For herbs… oregano, parsley and thyme. Tasted and salted the filling generously. Brushed on egg wash after 30 minutes baking for better color. Might try slightly less nutmeg next time.
This is a great dish. I play around with different greens each time. Also, if you are looking for a lacto free version, Nutritional yeast made a great sub. It would be hard to tell the difference!
This is partially a review but mostly a record of how I modified this recipe to accommodate both celiac disease and severe milk allergy, in case other need to modify. It turned out spectacular! Highly recommend this! For crust I used gluten free 1:1 flour for the regular flour, and oat flour for the whole wheat. Since no gluten, it didn’t need 8 minutes of kneading, and I stopped at 3. For dairy- I replaced the grated had cheese with 1 cup of dairy free ricotta- I used the recipe inside the NYT Vegan Lasagna, and will use what’s left to make lasagna soon. For the ricotta measurement in the recipe, I used 1/2 cup homemade Parmesan replacement (I made it with ground cashews nutritional yeast, a bit of garlic powder and salt). My vegetables were, collards, lots of chopped carrot greens, Swiss chard, and a few leaves of Dino kale. My herbs were mostly parsley, about 1/4 c fresh garlic chives, some dry basil, thyme, and lemon pepper. I rolled dough out onto parchment, lifted that to cookie sheet, paper and all. Spread greens mixture, and rolled top onto parchment, and flopped it onto the pie, carefully peeled the parchment away, and it worked great. Gluten free dough is more tender than wheat dough, but this did the trick. My pie was oblong, to fit my pan, and not circular. Cooked 45 min. No foil needed. Highly highly recommend this recipe!
How are people defining what a « bunch » of kale is? I want to use kale from my garden for this, which comes by the plant, not the bunch! Any suggestions as to weight?
The filling is amazing and could be used as a ravioli filling or a layer element in lasagna. Sub’d the fresh marjoram for basil but will search for marjoram next time. Took an extra step and wrung out the kale in cheesecloth to remove excess water. The only reason this recipe is getting 4 out of 5 is the dough could be improved. It’s quite cracker like. Will try adding in some sourdough in place of some flour and water starter next time to lighten the texture and get the slightest puff.