French Easter Pie

Name: French Easter Pie
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: French, Mediterranean, European
Ingredients: 200 grams (7 ounces) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 125 grams (4 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, diced -- cold if using a food processor, at room-temperature if you're mixing the dough by hand; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; Ice-cold water; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces) fresh spinach, center ribs removed, finely chopped leaves (other kinds of leaf and vine may be used, choice: 240 g net weight); 100 grams (1 1/2 ounces) fresh goat cheese; 1 teaspoon fine salt; Black pepper; 4 large eggs; 1 tablespoons milk for glazing; Nutmeg

12 steps

Prep:40minCook:40min

Among the French dishes traditional served at Easter, you’ll find tourte pascale* and pâté de Pâques, French Easter pies enclosed in a flaky crust, with eggs nested inside the filling. The purpose of this is to use up the surplus of eggs that hens have laid during Lent, the six-week period leading up to Easter when Christians abstain from certain foods, including anything derived from animals.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 12:41:11 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

High

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories429.9 kcal (21%)

Total Fat29.7 g (42%)

Carbs27.8 g (11%)

Sugars0.6 g (1%)

Protein13.5 g (27%)

Sodium727.7 mg (36%)

Fiber2 g (7%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

6 servings

For the dough

200 gramsall-purpose flour

½ teaspoonfine sea salt

125 gramsunsalted butter

diced, cold if using a food processor, at room-temperature if you're mixing the dough by hand

1egg

large, lightly beaten

water

ice-cold

For the filling

2 tablespoonsolive oil

300 gramsfresh spinach

center ribs removed, finely chopped leaves, other kinds of leaf and vine may be used

100 gramsfresh goat cheese

1 teaspoonfine salt

black pepper

4eggs

large

1 tablespoonsmilk

for glazing

nutmeg

Instructions

Step 1

The day before, prepare the dough according to this recipe and divide it in 2 equal balls. Cover and chill.

FridgeCool

Plastic wrap

Step 2

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and allow to cook, stirring frequently, just until the leaves become one shade darker. Don’t overcook. Let cool, cover, and reserve in the refrigerator overnight.

FridgeCool

Skillet

Step 3

The next day, combine the spinach in a bowl with the goat cheese and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with pepper and a little nutmeg.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

OvenPreheat

Step 5

Spread one of the balls of dough to a circle wide enough to cut out a neat circle, about 26 cm (10 1/2 inches) in diameter, using an upturned plate as a template and running a sharp knife all around. Place this circle on the baking sheet. Save the trimmings.

Knife

Plate

Step 6

Arrange the spinach filling on top, leaving a margin of about 3 to 4 cm (1 1/2 inches), and form 4 little wells in the filling.

Step 7

Break 1 whole egg into each of 2 wells, and put 1 egg yolk in each of the remaining wells. (You can use the remaining 2 egg whites to make these easy coconut macaroons.)

Step 8

Roll out the second ball of dough in the same way to get another circle of the same size (reserve the trimmings) and center this circle on top of the filling. Crimp together the edges of the two circles of dough to seal. Brush the top and edges with milk.

Cooking Brush

Step 9

Gather the trimmings, spread them out again, and cut out small leaf shapes with the tip of your knife. Place them on the top of the pie; they will shrink slightly, so take this into account in your artistic process.

Knife

Step 10

Brush the leaves with a touch more milk

Step 11

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pie is golden brown.

OvenHeat

Step 12

Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.