Ligurian Borage and Ricotta Pie

La storia di questo piatto

This is the green heart of a Ligurian Easter table, where borage and fresh ricotta are wrapped in paper-thin sheets and crowned with whole eggs. It speaks of a coast that cooks with its hillside herbs and its olive oil.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Soft wheat flour
• 230 ml Lukewarm water
• 5 g Fine salt
• 90 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1000 g Fresh borage
• 30 g Fresh parsley
• 400 g Fresh ricotta
• 7 piece Whole eggs
• 100 g Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• q.b. to taste Salt, pepper and nutmeg
• 70 ml Oil for greasing
• 5 g Fresh marjoram
• 20 g Coarse salt for boiling

Preparazione

1. Prepare the dough: pour the 400 g of flour onto the work surface and make a well. Pour into the center the 230 ml of lukewarm water, the 5 g of fine salt and the 90 ml of extra virgin olive oil. Mix with a fork, gently incorporating the flour from the edges, then work with your hands. Knead vigorously for 10-15 minutes, until smooth, elastic and no longer sticking to your fingers. If it is sticky add a pinch of flour; if it is dry and crumbly, a few drops of water.
2. Form a smooth ball, grease it with 5 ml of oil (from the 70 ml of oil for greasing), wrap it in plastic film and let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours: the dough contains no yeast, the rest serves to relax the gluten and make it easy to stretch into very thin sheets. Meanwhile, place the ricotta to drain in a sieve over a bowl for at least 1 hour, so the filling will not be too wet.
3. Remove the thicker stems from the borage and wash the leaves well. Bring about 4 liters of water to a boil with the 20 g of coarse salt and boil the leaves in two batches for 5 minutes each, until soft. Drain them, pass them briefly in cold water to stop the cooking and preserve the green color, then squeeze them firmly several times to remove all the water: this is essential so the filling is not wet (from 1000 g fresh you will obtain about 300-330 g of boiled and squeezed borage, roughly the same as the drained ricotta). Finely chop it together with the parsley and marjoram.
4. In a bowl mix the drained ricotta (about 350 g), the borage with chopped parsley and marjoram, the 100 g of pecorino, 1 whole egg lightly beaten (it binds the filling), salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste. Blend until you obtain a green, uniform and creamy filling (about 800 g in total). The remaining 6 eggs stay whole and raw: they will be placed in the hollows of the filling, already spread over the base, in step 7.
5. Divide the dough (about 720 g in total) into 10 equal portions (about 70 g each). On a surface greased with 10 ml of oil, stretch each portion with your fingers and palms, from the center toward the edges, turning it gently, until you obtain a very thin sheet, almost transparent and wide enough to overhang the pan (about 40-45 cm in diameter). If the dough springs back, let it rest for 1 minute and continue. Small tears are not a problem. Keep the stretched sheets covered with a cloth.
6. Grease a 30 cm round pan with a rim of at least 4 cm with 5 ml of oil. Place the first of the 10 prepared sheets on the bottom, pressing it well, and brush it with about 5 ml of oil. Layer the second, third, fourth and fifth sheets (the first 5 of the 10 total), brushing each with about 5 ml of oil (25 ml in total for the 5 sheets). Let the sheets overhang the edges of the pan.
7. Spread the filling over the base of sheets, leaving about 2 cm free from the edges. With the back of a spoon create 6 evenly spaced hollows in a ring and gently break one whole egg into each. Lightly salt and pepper each egg.
8. Lay the remaining 5 sheets (the last 5 of the 10 total) one at a time over the filling and eggs, brushing each with about 4 ml of oil (20 ml in total). Fold the edges of the lower sheets inward over the upper ones and press with your fingers to seal well.
9. Preheat the static oven to 190°C for 10-15 minutes. Prick the surface with a fork, avoiding the spots above the eggs, to let the steam escape, then brush with the last 5 ml of oil (the total is 5+10+5+25+20+5 = 70 ml). Bake the pan on the middle-lower rack for 40-45 minutes, until the surface is evenly golden and crisp and the whites are set, with the yolks still soft.
10. Remove from the oven with an oven glove and let the pie rest for 5 minutes, so the layers firm up and the eggs settle. Slice with a sharp knife into 6 wedges, each with its egg, and serve warm or at room temperature.