Great either warm or cold, this rustic pie can be served as an appetizer, main dish or for a picnic. We pair it with Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Bosco di Gica Brut Adami.
This sparkling wine has a good acidity that cleanses the palate of the creaminess of the ricotta cheese, the bubbles add liveliness and lightness, perfect for contrasting the soft, velvety texture of the filling.
Ingredients (for a 24-cm mold)
1 roll of puff pastry; 250 g ricotta cheese (well drained, preferably sheep or cow’s milk); 2-3 carrots (about 200 g); 150 g peas (fresh or frozen); 2 eggs; 40 g grated Parmesan cheese; 1 spring onion (or half a white onion); Extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and pepper to taste; Nutmeg; Fresh herbs (mint, parsley or thyme)
Procedure
Prepare the vegetables: cut the carrots into julienne strips and blanch the peas for 5 minutes in salted water. In a frying pan with a drizzle of oil, brown the chopped spring onion, then add carrots and peas. Cook for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.
Prepare the filling: in a bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg and Parmesan cheese. Combine the ricotta cheese and mix until smooth.
Add the cooked vegetables and the chopped fresh herbs.
Assemble the cake: roll out the puff pastry In a cake pan lined with baking paper. Pour in the filling and level it well. Fold the edges inward. If you like, brush them with a little egg or milk for a golden effect.
Bake in a static oven at 180°C for about 35-40 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and the filling well firmed.
Allow to cool before cutting.
Also great cold the next day!
(Opening photo “Not Just Anna’s Cakes“)
Wine pairing
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Bosco di Gica Brut Adami
Straw yellow with thick mousse and continuous bubbles. The nose is mostly fruity of pear and white melon with fresh floral notes. Taut, linear palate with nice freshness. Pleasant lingering citrus sensations and a light spicy toastiness. Round and harmonious palate.
Production area: Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills, altitude 180 – 300 meters. Heterogeneous soil. Present in large numbers hills with clay soil, often calcareous, with sandstone and marl, thin, dry and shallow, especially at higher elevations. Hills often with steep slopes arranged in gyre with predominantly southern exposure.
Grape varieties: 93-97% Glera, 3-7% Chardonnay. Training system Double inverted, Cappuccina. Planting density: 2500-3300 plants per ha.
Grape harvest: September 20 to October 10.
Production processes: pressing is done with pneumatic presses and static decantation of the must; this is followed by temperature-controlled fermentation (17-19°C) with naturally selected yeasts, before aging and resting on the noble lees in stainless steel for a minimum of three months. Refermentation takes place using the Italian method. Refermentation temperature: 15-17°C. Cold stabilization (-4°C).
Alcohol content: 11% vol.
Serving temperature: 8-10°C.
Recommended pairings: goes well with many Italian dishes, especially seafood risottos, but also with porcini mushrooms. It is best tried with linguine with fasolari. It is an excellent support to the classic charcuterie and prosciutto board and to dishes with vegetables where asparagus and late radicchio trevigiano are found. In fact, the flavors tending toward bitterness of these vegetables nicely enrich Gica’s Bosco. Finally, the savory pie with ricotta cheese carrots and peas elevates its harmonious capacity and pleasant fullness.
