Ingredients
Dough
200 grams flour, sifted
2 grams 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 milliliters extra virgin olive oil
Filling
1 kilo chard (preferred), beet greens, or spinach
50 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
2 pinches dried marjoram
160 milliliters extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, skin removed, end cut, finely chopped
10 large artichokes, frozen or fresh (not tinned), trimmed
1/2 lemon, juiced
55 grams breadcrumbs (can substitute 100 grams of cooked rice)
250 milliliters whole milk (if using rice, reduce milk to 50 mls)
4 eggs
600 grams ricotta, drained
20 grams butter
salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Mix flour, salt and oil with a fork. Add 130 mls of water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Knead for 15 minutes until the dough forms. Cover with a wet towel for 2 hours.
Oil a metal cake tin with olive oil. Divide the dough into two balls with ⅔ and ⅓ each. Roll out the larger ball and place into the tin. Heat the oven to 190C. Strain the cheese. Cut the ribs out of the greens. Wash them and cut finely with 1 ½ tablespoon of salt sprinkled and leave ½ hour. Squeeze until dry.
Sprinkle 20 grams of cheese, marjoram and mix. Heat 60mls of the olive oil in a pan with onions. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the sliced artichokes and 100 ml of water and cook till dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegs. Cook until soft and add the lemon juice and 60 ml olive oil. Remove from heat. Mix breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl. In another bowl, add 4 eggs with 20 g of cheese and mix together. Add the strained ricotta to the eggs and mix. Add breadcrumbs and mix again.
After the vegs cool, add the egg breadcrumb mixture, 80 mls of olive oil and mix. Spread the filling into the cake pan with prepared crust with 1 inch of the crust hanging over the edge. Top the filling with some butter, salt and pepper, and cheese (20 g).
Roll the smaller ball and place on top of the filling. Wet the edge of the bottom crust and fold and crimp the edges. Poke the top crust with a fork and drizzle 20 ml of olive oil. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.
Key Points About Ingredients:
- Fresh or frozen artichokes are essential here — tinned artichokes contain too much brine and will make the filling watery and overly acidic, robbing the pie of its delicate balance.
- Chard is the traditional Ligurian choice over spinach or beet greens; its mild, slightly mineral flavour holds up beautifully to the richness of the ricotta and olive oil.
- Salting the greens and squeezing them thoroughly dry is a non-negotiable step — excess moisture will prevent the filling from setting and can make the bottom crust soggy.
- Draining the ricotta well before use ensures a firm, sliceable filling; line a sieve with cheesecloth and drain it overnight in the fridge for best results.
- The olive oil pastry is far more forgiving and less likely to shrink than butter-based shortcrust, and its subtle fruitiness complements the savoury filling perfectly.
- A long two-hour dough rest is built into the recipe and is crucial — it fully hydrates the flour and relaxes the gluten, making the dough pliable and easy to roll paper-thin as tradition demands.
Key Nutritional Insights:
- Artichokes are one of the highest-fibre vegetables available, providing both inulin (a prebiotic) and cynarin, a compound shown to support liver health and digestion.
- Chard is an exceptional source of vitamins K and A, as well as magnesium and potassium, making this pie surprisingly nutrient-dense despite its indulgent appearance.
- Ricotta made from whole milk whey is lower in fat than many soft cheeses and provides a good hit of calcium and easily digestible whey protein per serving.
- Extra virgin olive oil dominates the fat profile here, meaning the majority of fats are heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids rather than saturated fats.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano contributes significant calcium and umami depth while adding only a small amount per serving due to its intensely savoury nature.
- Eggs provide all essential amino acids as well as choline, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, boosting the nutritional completeness of each slice.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size1
- Amount per serving
- Calories420
- Standard DV% Daily Value*
- Total Fat26 g72 g36.11%
- Saturated Fat7 g20 g35%
- Trans Fat0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat15 g
- Cholesterol95 mg300 mg31.67%
- Sodium540 mg2300 mg23.48%
- Total Carbohydrate32 g275 g11.64%
- Dietary Fiber6 g28 g21.43%
- Total Sugars4 g
- Added Sugars0 g50 g0%
- Sugar Alcohal0 g
- Protein16 g50 g32%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)28 mcg20 mcg140%
- Calcium220 mg1300 mg16.92%
- Iron3 mg18 mg16.67%
- Potassium620 mg4700 mg13.19%
- Vitamin A2800 mcg900 mcg311.11%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)18 mg90 mg20%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)3 mg15 mg20%
- Vitamin K180 mcg120 mcg150%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.2 mg1.2 mg16.67%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.3 mg1.3 mg23.08%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)2.1 mg16 mg13.13%
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.2 mg1.7 mg11.76%
- Folate95 mcg400 mcg23.75%
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)0.5 mcg2.4 mcg20.83%
- Biotin8 mcg30 mcg26.67%
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.7 mg5 mg14%
- Choline95 mg550 mg17.27%
- Phosphorus240 mg1250 mg19.2%
- Iodine18 mcg150 mcg12%
- Magnesium55 mg420 mg13.1%
- Zinc1.8 mg11 mg16.36%
- Selenium18 mcg55 mcg32.73%
- Copper0.2 mg0.9 mg22.22%
- Manganese0.4 mg2.3 mg17.39%
- Chromium3 mcg35 mcg8.57%
- Molybdenum12 mcg45 mcg26.67%
- Chloride320 mg2300 mg13.91%
