And we are to the second installment of world on a plate. For those of you that missed the first episode, World on a Plate is a monthly blogging event at which bloggers from around the world get together and share a typical recipe from their home country. Today we are doing picnic.
Picnics apparently are popular in all countries. What people do with picnics probably not so much… So Biren is going to tell us how they do it in Malaysia, Ewa about Sweden, Katherine about the US, Hyosun about Korea, Raymund about the Philippines, Sofie about Germany, Suchi about Northerm India and Vijitha about Southern India and I am telling you about Italian ones.
In Italy picnics are a outdoor business usually with no tables or utensils. People pack their supplies get somewhere nice. Walk for a while and settle down on the grass or on the beach to have their meal.
There is an official picnic day in Italy too. It is the day after Easter. That Monday is seen as the beginning of spring and people go have picnics in the country side, at the beach or on the mountains to celebrate the beginning of the outdoor season.
For this “pasquetta” (literally little easter) picnic the menu includes 3 staples: salami, boiled eggs and torta pasqualina a quiche made with ricotta, spinach and boiled eggs. For other picnics we generally end up eating 1 panino or 2. Panino for us is just bread filled with cured ham and cheese. there is a grilled version that usually is eaten at lunch in bars, but the panino for a picnic is not grilled, not hot and not overstuffed, just a simple sandwich. There are a number of rules on panini, but since here I’m talking about torta pasqualina, head over to Paolo’s blog for a great overview of panini.
Back to torta pasqualina. The quiche has a special crust that is supposed to have 33 layers to symbolize the age of Christ. I have never bothered to make more than 3. And I have to say even 1 layer is good enough, if you do not want to bother with the layering.
The other special feature of this cake is the whole eggs. The eggs are cooked whole in the quiche. You place them in the quiche raw and they cook with the quiche and come out hard boiled. Awesome isn’t it?
Anyway, check out what people do for picnics around the world! I’m looking forward to discovering more!!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb flour
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 packet frozen spinach
- 1 tub ricotta
- 4 eggs
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- Quickly mix the flour, the salt and the butter until the flour comes together in crumbs.
- Add enough water to hydrate the mixture so the crumbs stick together. You will have to add between 1/4 and 3/4 of a cup of water. Stop as soon as the crumbles of dough stick together.
- Shape the dough in a brick and place in the fridge to rest for about 30 minutes.
- When the dough is well chilled, take it out and give it 3 or 4 folds. For the folds, roll out the brick of dough in a sheet about 3 times the length of the brick and just as wide. Fold the sheet in 3 to get a new brick about the size of the original one and turn 90 degrees. Repeat the rolling out and folding 2 or 3 times.
- Boil the spinach in salted water. Drain them as soon as they are cooked through and let them cool down.
- Mix the cold spinach with the ricotta and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide the dough in 4 pieces and roll the out in very thin sheets. Place two sheets on the bottom of a spring form pan.
- Fill the crust with the spinach filling. Create 4 wells in the filling and break an egg into each one. Cover with the remaining 2 sheets of dough. Seal the borders and trim off the access dough.
- Cook in a 375F oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve cold.
Hi! I'm PolaM, the Italian cooking in the Midwest.
Drain spinach first so you can prepare the other ingredients while the spinach drains. Pat dry with paper towels.
How interesting the eggs are cooked whole in the quiche! Your quiche looks delicious. Thanks for educating us on Italian picnic culture!
Hyosun Ro recently posted..Gimbap/Kimbap (Korean Dried Seaweed Rice Rolls)
mi hai messo fame, molta fame!
Gio recently posted..Buon 1° Maggio!
So unique and delicious sounding – I’m ready for a picnic now!
The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Crustless Quiches w/ Sweet Corn, Fresh Basil and Applewood-Smoked Bacon
This looks GooD!
and there’s ricotta in it! Count me in if u have picnic with this in ur basket! YUM!
Tq for sharing!
elies lie recently posted..Ribbon Kyuri Salad with Asian Dressing & The Award!
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again! And you are welcome to join me at my next picnic!
Grazie per essere passata dalle mie parti mi hai dato modo di scoprire il tuo blog,complimenti! Laura
L’ho appena scoperto e penso saro’ un visitatore assiduo! Le ricette e le foto mi sembrano davvero molto interessanti!
That is a very pretty Torta Pasqualina, good job. I am curious to see what other countries do for picnics, I never stopped to think about how much typical picnic foods vary.
Nuts about food recently posted..Walnut polvorones
Oh, PolaM, I loved this quiche with lots of spinach…I am going to make this very soon!
I have never seen a covered quiche before! And yes, love it that all of us Europeans made savory cakes. I have just bookmarked this!
Sofie Dittmann @thegermanfoodie recently posted..A Southern-Inspired Dinner Party – Part III
I was thinking of creating a picnic for our family on Mother’s Day. Seems like the perfect way to spend an afternoon. This looks like it would please all three of us!
If you try let me know how it goes!
Wow you guys have an official day for picnic! That sounds so cool. Love the quiche, this is the first time I have come across a quiche with boiled eggs and I like the idea.
Suchi recently posted..Tales of Kolkata: Winters, Picnics and Paratha Aloo ur Dom
oh my scrumptious!!!
xo TJ
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by!
CAN I SPEAK ITALIAN????
Ed ecco che ho scoperto un altro blog.
Complimenti per le ricette…. Sono facili e gustose!!!
Mi sono aggiunta ai tuoi followers, cosi non ti perdo di vista.
Se ti va, passa a trovarmi, sei la benvenuta!!!
La Magica Zucca
Grazie per essere passata di qui! Spero di rivederti presto! Intanto mi sono iscritta la tuo feed
Looks delish!!Not that complicated and something I can definitely try
Bookmarked!!
Soni recently posted..Arctic Char in Mustard Sauce
Just gorgeous! It sounds so delicious!
Jessica @ Cajunlicious recently posted..Muffuletta Mix
Just gorgeous! I love the sunny egg hidden in there! Would be perfect for a spring outdoor event!
This time it was only in the pending comment folder, not in the spam one. Hopefully from now on it will work…
quiche looks wonderful
Thanks for stopping by! hope to see you again!
Adoro la torta pasqualina, la tua mi ha fatto tornare la fame, complimenti!
Un abbraccio!
What an interesting version of a quiche. It looks terrific!
Anita at Hungry Couple recently posted..Torta De Cielo (Mexican Almond Cake)
Thanks! And thank you for stopping by!
that quiche looks delicious! and i love that there is a special picnic day in Italy! i think i need to put together a picnic now!
Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook) recently posted..Homemade Cheez-Its
Ciao Pola, che bello conoscere un’italiana che spadella nel Midwest. Sono molto curiosa di conoscere come rispondono i tuoi amici americani ai tuoi piatti della nostra tradizione. Immagino che starai vivendo un’esperienza fantastica. Ti seguo con molto piacere. Pat
Grazie! E’ si spadello e mi destreggio con gli ingredienti locali… Spero di rivederti da queste parti!
The quiche with ricotta and spinach looks wonderful. It’s nice and warm over here, and I certainly wouldn’t mind a couple of slices with a bottle of chilled pinot grigio for the dinner!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Spinach Spelt Galette with Mushrooms and Beetroot
I love that there is an official picnic day in Italy! This quiche looks just incredible. Another wonderful World on a Plate!
Katherine Martinelli recently posted..Potato Salad and a Virtual Picnic for World on a Plate
Once again I love how approachable your recipes sound. I am saving this one for sure. Sounds like an awesome blogging event, will check out the others too!
Kat recently posted..Leek and Cabbage Soup
thanks! Let me know how it goes if you try it!
E’ perfette la tua torta pasqualina, Complimenti anche per la splendida foto. Un abbraccio, buona settimana Daniela.
Daniela recently posted..Zuppa di farro ceci e fagioli con mazzancolle
That looks like a healthy picnic alternative, love the filling
Raymund recently posted..Puto
I just quickly ran through the recipe and I have everything in my pantry. This will be made as soon as I’m home. It looks absolutely delish.
Baker Street recently posted..Blueberry Lime Bread #SundaySupper
This is definitely healthy and looks delicious but I guess I should make this more special so that my kids would love this as well..
Nicca recently posted..Sharepoint Hosting
Kids usually love the combo ricotta and spinach. It is relatively mild and it is pretty creamy.
I like the combination of ricotta and spinach. I have made ravioli filling with that combination and it taste great. I am very sure your quiche taste superb!
Thanks! Ravioli with this filling work great. I can imagine just how good yours were!
Quuesta pasqua non ne ho fatta neanche una, la tua è perfetta!!!
buona settimana
loredana
loredana recently posted..Quaglie agli asparagi su fonduta di Castelmagno,con asparagi e fragole al mosto cotto
Mah le usova si sono un po’ rotte e non erano perfetta, ma buona era buona!
Pola, this looks AMAZING!!!! wow, what a great looking quiche! I really love it!!
Sandra’s Easy Cooking recently posted..Foodbuzz: 24×24 – PASTA PARTY
Picnic must be a big thing in Italy since there is even an official picnic day. I love quiches and don’t eat it often enough. Your ricotta and spinach quiche looks delicious!
Biren @ Roti n Rice recently posted..Picnic Time with Ulundhu Vadai
How funny we did similar things
This looks fabulous. I love the eggs in the quiche. I will have to try this one day.
Delishhh recently posted..Västerbotten Cheese Pie
adoro la torta pasqualina Pola, la mangerei tutto l’anno ! buona settimana…
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