🇮🇹 Italian · Main Dish
🥧 Torta Pasqualina
Torta Pasqualina
A striking Ligurian Easter pie of many thin pastry layers wrapped around a filling of greens, ricotta, and whole eggs baked directly inside, revealing a perfect yolk when sliced.
Traditional recipes call for as many as 33 thin pastry sheets, symbolizing the years of Christ's life, though most home versions use considerably fewer while preserving the dish's signature whole eggs nestled into the filling, baked until just set.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Round baking pan, about 26cm
- 500 g (4 cups) 00 flour, for the pastry
- 250 ml (1 cup) water, approximately
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- Pinch of salt
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) Swiss chard or spinach, stemmed
- 400 g (1¾ cups) ricotta
- 80 g (1 cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 eggs, for the filling, plus 6 whole eggs for baking inside
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine the flour, water, olive oil, and salt into a smooth, elastic dough. Divide into small portions, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
- Blanch the chard or spinach briefly, then squeeze out excess water thoroughly and chop.
- Combine the greens with the ricotta, Parmigiano, 2 eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into a smooth filling.
- Roll each portion of dough as thin as possible into large rounds.
- Layer several sheets in the bottom of an oiled baking pan, brushing each with a little olive oil, letting the edges overhang.
- Spread the filling evenly over the layered base.
- Make 6 small wells in the filling and crack a whole egg into each, keeping the yolks intact.
- Layer the remaining pastry sheets over the top, brushing each with oil, and fold the overhanging edges up and over to seal.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40–50 minutes until deeply golden.
- Let cool slightly before slicing to reveal the whole eggs inside.
Chef Tips
- Squeeze the greens very thoroughly to remove excess moisture, or the filling will be watery.
- Roll the pastry sheets as thin as you comfortably can — many thin layers are traditional, though a handful of well-made layers works fine for a home version.
- Take care not to break the egg yolks when cracking them into the filling wells.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not squeezing the greens enough, resulting in a watery filling that seeps through the pastry.
- Overcooking the pie, which can turn the whole eggs hard rather than leaving them softly set.
- Rolling the pastry too thick, missing the characteristic delicate, many-layered texture.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein and calcium from the eggs and cheese, with fiber from the greens.
Cultural Note
Torta Pasqualina is inseparable from Ligurian Easter celebrations, its many pastry layers and hidden whole eggs carrying deep symbolic meaning tied to the holiday.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature, or reheat gently in the oven.
Serve with: A simple green salad, A crisp Ligurian white wine