PASTA, RICOTTA AND BEET-GREEN PIE

Pasta, Ricotta and Beet-Green Pie image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Time 2h40m

Yield Six servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
About 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups beet greens, tough stems removed, washed well
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped
28 ounces whole-milk ricotta
3 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

To make the pasta, combine the water and olive oil in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the salt and enough flour to make a soft, pliable dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Shape it into a ball, cover with a damp towel and let rest for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beet greens and blanch until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well, squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beet greens and saute for 3 minutes more. Let cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, marjoram, salt and pepper. Stir in the beet green mixture. Set aside.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces, making 2 pieces slightly larger than the others. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch the larger pieces into rectangles about 12 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches and the smaller ones into rectangles about 11 by 6 inches, keeping the unused portions wrapped in a damp towel while you work.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 11 3/4-by-7 1/2-by-1 3/4-inch glass baking dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place 1 of the larger rectangles in the bottom of the dish and brush with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta filling over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Top with 1 of the smaller rectangles, brush with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, spread with 1/3 of the ricotta filling and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
Repeat with the remaining small rectangle, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the remaining ricotta filling and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Top with the remaining pasta sheet and press the bottom sheet and the top sheet together, folding them over to form a rim. Brush with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the pasta is tender throughout, about 15 minutes longer. Preheat the broiler. Uncover the dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is browned, about 1 minute. Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 722, UnsaturatedFat 20 grams, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 39 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 32 grams, SaturatedFat 18 grams, Sodium 701 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams