Broccoli, Ricotta and Pecorino Savory Tart with Olive Oil Crust

La storia di questo piatto

This is a modern, home-kitchen interpretation of Italian rustic baking, not a codified tradition: a golden oil crust cradling broccoli, ricotta and pecorino. Sources point only to a general Italian tradition of savory vegetable pies, so it is best read as a contemporary variation, humble and generous in spirit.

Ingredienti

• 220 g 00 flour
• 100 ml water for the dough
• 55 ml extra virgin olive oil for the dough
• 10 g 00 flour for dusting the work surface
• 500 g broccoli (florets and stalks)
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for the broccoli
• 1 clove garlic
• 80 ml water for cooking the broccoli
• 4 piece eggs
• 200 g cow's milk ricotta
• 60 g grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 piece lemon (zest and juice)
• 9 g fine salt
• 3 pinches ground black pepper

Preparazione

1. Start with the crust, which is the foundation of everything. In a bowl, mix the 220 g of flour with 4 g of fine salt, then pour in the 55 ml of extra virgin olive oil for the dough and the 100 ml of water and begin working it with your hands. Knead for 4-5 minutes, until you obtain a smooth, soft dough as soft as an earlobe, that no longer sticks to your fingers. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature (in the meantime, prepare the broccoli): this lets the dough relax so it can be rolled out without shrinking.
2. While the dough rests, clean the broccoli: separate the florets into small pieces, peel the stalks and slice them into thin rounds. They are very sweet, so don't throw them away. In a wide pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat with the crushed garlic until fragrant without browning. Add the broccoli, 3 g of salt and the 80 ml of water, cover and cook for 8 minutes, until bright green and a floret pierces easily with a fork without crumbling. Uncover, raise the heat and let the remaining water evaporate, then remove the garlic and turn off the heat. Squeeze half of the lemon juice over them (the other half is for the end of cooking): that acidic touch brings out the flavor of the broccoli. Let them cool in the pan until lukewarm (about 15 minutes, while the base bakes).
3. When the rest is over, preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll out the dough to about 3 mm thickness on a surface dusted with the 10 g of flour and line a 24 cm tart pan, pressing it well into the corners with your fingers and letting it rise slightly above the edge to contain the filling. Trim away the excess dough along the rim. Prick the bottom with a fork so steam can escape and the base doesn't puff up. Blind-bake the base for 10 minutes, until dry and just golden at the edges. This step keeps the bottom crisp beneath the creamy filling.
4. While the base bakes, prepare the filling. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the ricotta, 40 g of pecorino, the grated lemon zest, 2 g of salt and 2 pinches of pepper, until you have a smooth, homogeneous cream. Pecorino is already salty, so don't overdo the salt. Before adding the broccoli, check that it is lukewarm, not hot, otherwise the egg will start to cook in the bowl. Fold it into the cream with slow motions, from bottom to top, so the florets stay whole.
5. Lower the oven to 180°C. Pour the filling into the pre-baked base, filling it up to just below the rim, and level it with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining 20 g of pecorino, which will form a flavorful crust as it bakes. Bake for 30 minutes: the tart is ready when the surface is mottled golden and, when you gently shake the pan, the center is set with only a very slight wobble. The smell of toasted cheese will tell you it's ready.
6. Take the tart out and let it rest for 10 minutes: the filling settles and the slices cut cleanly without crumbling. Taste a small piece, then, if you like, finish with 1 pinch of ground pepper and a few drops of the other half of the lemon juice, set aside in step 2. Serve warm, while the crisp crust still meets the soft heart.