Recipe: Paul's Picnic Pie (with spinach, ham, and ricotta)

PAUL'S PICNIC PIE

FOR THE CRUST:
Your favorite recipe for pie crust dough (enough for 2 crusts for 9 1/2-inch pie) or 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts, such as Pillsbury's pie crusts)
1 egg, beaten, for glaze
FOR THE FILLING:
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds fresh spinach leaves, washed, stemmed and finely chopped (see cook's notes*), or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
3/4 pound cooked ham, finely diced
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground mace

TO MAKE PASTRY LEAVES:
Roll out reserved dough to 1/8-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut dough using heart-shaped cookie cutter. Hold dinner fork lengthwise and lightly press edge into center of each heart to make a long, thin curved line from top to bottom. Now hold fork flat and, starting from top of "leaf" and working toward the "stem," press points of tines at an angle into pastry on either side of curved center line. Do not press too hard; you don't want to cut through pastry. Repeat "veining" process on other side of line. Cut wine bottle corks in half lengthwise. Start from center of each half cork and shave away part of cork in shape of a wedge. Prepare 1/2 cork for each leaf. Place corks on baking sheet (on their sides) and drape a pastry leaf over each wedge.

Bake in 375-degree oven about 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven.

If preparing pie crust from scratch, prepare dough and refrigerate.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Saute onions in olive oil and butter in large, heavy skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onions are transparent. Add spinach and cool mixture to lukewarm. Mix in ham, Parmesan, ricotta, eggs, pepper and nutmeg or mace. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

If using homemade pastry, roll a little more than half of dough on lightly floured work surface, into 12-inch circle. Trim uneven edges and reserve trimmings for making pastry "leaves." Ease pastry (either homemade or store-bought) into 9 1/ 2-inch pie pan, taking care not to stretch dough; gently press against bottom and sides of pan, leaving 1/ 2-inch overhang. Put filling in pastry-lined pan.

If using homemade pastry, roll out remaining dough into about 10-inch circle. Trim uneven edges, reserving for "leaves." Fit crust over filling. Trim top crust even with edge of pie pan. Fold up edges of lower crust to form an even 1/ 2-inch-high rim around pie plate. Seal all around by fluting with your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon, or by pressing with the tines of a fork. Brush entire surface of crust with beaten egg. With thin, sharp knife, make 1/4-inch steam vent in center of crust.

Bake in center of preheated oven 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll out excess dough and make leaves (see cook's notes).

Remove pie from oven and arrange leaves around steam vent. Brush with a little egg glaze. Fold strip of aluminum foil around rim of pie to prevent over-browning. Return to oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and cool 20 minutes.

TO SERVE:
Cut into wedges just before serving. For picnic, be sure to pack a sharp knife and pie server.

COOK'S NOTE:*
If using fresh spinach, place in saucepan without water. Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 minutes. Cool and squeeze out excess moisture.

Makes 12 servings
Source: The Art of Buffet Entertaining by Diana and Paul von Welanetz