swiss chard, ricotta & sausage torta

This looks so humble, yet it tastes so spectacular. I make it when I’m burned out on cooking because I can bake it one day and eat it for the next few without getting tired of it. The taste is unforgettable — sort of like the best ravioli filling ever, but inside a pie. I adapted the recipe from Gourmet magazine many years ago and it’s equally awesome for breakfast straight from the fridge as it is warm for dinner or lunch.

ingredients

pastry for a double-crust pie or purchased pie pastry (not puff pastry)
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 12 ounces)
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sausages (mild, hot, or a mix)
salt and pepper
15 oz. container part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan or Asiago cheese
2 eggs

directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare or thaw pastry as necessary. Rinse chard leaves, trim discolored ends of stems, then chop leaves and stems.

In a wide saute pan or frying pan, cook the onion in olive oil until soft. Slit sausage casings open and crumble meat into pan; cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is browned. Add the chard a few handfuls at a time, stirring between additions so that greens wilt to make room for more. When you have added all the chard, cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes or until chard is limp. Transfer contents of pan to a bowl with a slotted spoon (discard fat in pan), then season with salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, beat together ricotta, cheese, and eggs, then stir this into the sausage-chard mixture.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with half the pie pastry. Pour in filling. Top with the other half of pastry, tucking excess under the edge of the bottom dough. With a fork or with your fingers, crimp the two crusts together. Cut a slit in the center of the top for venting.

Bake until golden brown, 50 minutes to an hour (I recommend placing a baking sheet on the rack below the pie in case of drips). Serve warm, cold or at room temperature. Torta keeps very well in the fridge and is even better the next day.

to make this a complete meal: radicchio & endive slaw with walnuts added for extra-crunch and fiber is a great choice.