Spring Greenstuff: Swiss Chard Pie

Visiting our local market today, there was such an incredible variety of vegetables on display that it was hard to choose.

What caught my eye was a wonderful  fresh and crunchy Swiss Chard.

This  humble but delicious greenstuff has been around for centuries  and has a high contain of vitamin A and C, minerals ,fiber and proteins.

Its slightly bitter taste fades with cooking and gives way to an amazing, delicate flavor.

I usually prepare the filling with a bit of heavy cream, but this time I opted for a more natural approach, letting the fine aroma of the Swiss Chard and Spinach play the main role.

To prepare the Swiss Chard Pie

You need:

For the dough:

300g (10.5 oz.)  flour

½  tea spoon  salt

150g (5.2oz.) cold butter cut in small cubes

1 large egg

1 1/4 spoonful  water

For the filling:

750 g Swiss Chard (large stems removed)  

250g Baby spinach

2 spoonful olive oil

1¼ cup onions cut in small cubes (I used half red and half white onions)

1 red pepper,chopped

4 eggs

1 cup  roughly grated Gruyere cheese

¼ finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

Preparation:

Mix flour and salt.

Add the cold butter cubes and with your fingertips gently blend the butter into the flower.

Delicately knead the dough until the flour has a uniform color.

Beat the egg slightly, mold a whole in the middle of the dough and add  the egg and

 a spoonful of water.

Knead thoroughly until smooth,

Note: do not overprocess, otherwise the crust will toughen.

Shape into a ball and cover with cling film.

Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to three days.

Between 2 cling film sheets roll out dough and place into a greased pie pan.

Press mixture into bottom and up side of the pan.

Use a fork to make wholes over the bottom of the pastry

 Filling:

Wash chard and spinach, remove large stems.

In the meantime boil water in a large pot.

Cook the chard only for about 1 minute or until chard wilts.

Repeat the same procedure with the spinach.( the spinach might take a few seconds less than the chard until it wilts.)

Mix spinach with chard, drain the water and press out excess liquid.

Chop chard and spinach roughly. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large pan and sauté onions and red pepper until glazed.

Add chopped greenstuff, salt and pepper slightly, stir well, then combine carefully the whole eggs and the Gruyere cheese with the vegetable mix.

Pour chard mixture over the prepared crust,

 top with grated Parmesan and  bake in preheated oven at 180°C (370 F)  ,about 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is set.

Wait about 10 to 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.

Serves 8-10.

Enjoy! See you next Tuesday.