This is a savoury tart, which could would be vegetarian in its original version (it comes from the Emilia Romagna region), but not in mine, as I add smoked rashers too, as well as making other adjustments. As any savoury tart, it could be served as a light lunch, or as a starter
Ingredients:
4 medium onions
5 smoked streaky rashers
1400gr frozen spinach (remember that you'll need a very big pan, with its lid)
3 good slugs of olive oild
3 eggs
3 puff pastry sheets
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of grated nutmeg
40gr grated parmesan
NO salt (the spinach, the rashers and the parmesan are salty enough)
Method:
Dice the onions and the rashers
Sweat the onions and rashers on a medium heat with the olive oil and the black pepper, in a covered pan
Once cooked, add the frozen spinach and cover the pan again
Keep stirring the spinach mixture every now and again until all defrosted and well mixed
Uncover the pan and let the spinach mixture dry out, stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom
Remove the spinach from the heat and let it reach room temperature (or leave it overnight)
Add 2 eggs, the nutmeg and the parmesan to the spinach mixture and set aside
Line a deep baking tray with baking paper, up to the sides
Line the baking tray with the rolled out puff pastry sheet, ensuring to cover the sides well up to and beyond the edges of the baking tray - this is why for the bottom layer you need more than 1 sheet - I use 1.5 in total to ensure it covers aboundantly all sides of the tray (if you buy fresh ready made puff pastry, you can roll the leftover pastry back in its paper and freeze it for futher use)
Spread the spinach mixture into the tray, ensuring it's levelled with the back of a spoon
Cover with the other puff pastry sheet, just reaching the edges
Fold the sides of the bottom pastry sheet over the top pastry layer, pressing gently all along the edges and trimming to size with a pair of scissors
Using the ebbs of a fork, make lots of dents all over the pastry, including the borders
Then with a sharp knife make regular diagonal cuts (almost to reach the filling) in one direction
Whisk the remaining egg, then brush it all over the top and the border of the pastry
Bake in a pre-heated ovenat 200 degrees (fan) for 30 mins or until it's all nice and golden
Leave it to cool for 15 mins
Using a chopping board over the tray, turn it upside down and remove delicately the baking paper
Leave it to dry out for another 30 mins
Using another chopping board, flip it upright and cut it into slices