Equipment
Ingredients
Pastry Base
- 450 g puff pastry, thawed if frozen
Greens and Aromatics
- 250 g spinach, washed and tough stems removed
- 250 g swiss chard, washed, stems removed and chopped
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Cheese and Eggs
- 400 g whole milk ricotta, drained of excess liquid
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 30 g pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
- 6 eggs
Seasonings
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g fresh marjoram, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 C (375 F). Lightly grease the springform pan to prevent sticking.
Place the spinach and Swiss chard in a large skillet over medium heat with just the water clinging to their leaves. Cook until completely wilted. Transfer to a strainer to cool slightly, then wrap in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze aggressively to remove as much water as possible. Chop finely.
In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped greens, cooking for 2 more minutes to evaporate any residual moisture. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, grated parmesan, pecorino, 1 beaten egg, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and fresh marjoram. Fold in the cooled greens mixture until fully homogenous.
Drape one sheet of puff pastry into the prepared springform pan, gently pressing it into the corners. Allow the excess pastry to hang over the edges. Spoon the ricotta and greens filling into the pastry shell, smoothing the top into an even layer.
Using the back of a spoon, press 4 deep indentations or wells into the filling, spaced evenly apart. Carefully crack one whole egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
Lay the second sheet of puff pastry over the top of the pan. Trim the overhanging edges to about 2 centimeters, then roll and crimp the edges together tightly to seal the tart. Cut 3 small slits in the center of the top pastry to allow steam to escape.
Beat the remaining egg and brush it evenly over the entire top surface of the pastry for a glossy finish.
Bake the tart at 190 C (375 F) for 45 to 50 minutes. The pastry should be deeply golden and puffed. The internal temperature in the center should reach 71 C (160 F) to ensure the interior eggs are safely cooked and set.
Remove the tart from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 20 minutes before releasing the springform ring. This resting period allows the filling to firm up for clean slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Squeezing the greens is the most critical step. Even a small amount of residual water can ruin the puff pastry base. Use a clean kitchen towel to wring them out fiercely until they feel like a dry sponge.
- Using a mix of spinach and Swiss chard provides a balanced, earthy flavor. You can substitute entirely with one or the other, or add dandelion greens for a more bitter, traditional Ligurian bite.
- Whole milk ricotta yields a much creamier texture than part-skim. Drain it in a sieve for at least an hour if it appears watery to preserve the structure of the tart.
- When cracking the eggs into the wells, be careful not to break the yolks. This preserves the iconic, beautiful cross-section with a distinct yellow yolk when the tart is sliced.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze slices individually wrapped in parchment and foil. Reheat from frozen.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C oven for 10-15 minutes to recrisp the pastry. Microwave reheating will make the pastry soggy.
