At Easter, the Pasqualina cake is customary, hailing from Graciela Cucchiara's kitchen. - At Easter, Graciela Cucchiara's traditional Pasqualina is on display.
Livin' La Vida Delizia: Graciela Cucchiara's Traditional Pasqualina Recipe
By Pipsqueak Gobblin** ⏱️⏱️ 6 Min
Graciela Cucchiara, the Italian-Argentine culinary artist who left Germany stunned with her flair on "Kitchen Impossible," and her enchanting personality that wins over patrons of "Alimentari da Graciela" all share a common story - a traditional Italian Easter dish: the Torta Pasqualina, a vegetable pie from Genoa. This Ligurian specialty, often found on Graciela's table growing up in Buenos Aires, holds more than just the taste of nostalgia - it is a story of immigrants and traditions that have spanned continents.
"With dream-filled suitcases, countless immigrants embarked from Genoa's shores, traversing the Atlantic ocean, just like my great-grandfather, Andrea Cucchiara, on the tanker 'Perseo' on October 26, 1888. As Columbus did before them, they sought adventure and fortune in the New World. And despite being a world apart, dishes like the Torta Pasqualina remain a part of Argentine tables, thanks to these Italian immigrants."
The Torta Pasqualina was Mamma Mima's favorite, baked at least twice a month, and Graciela's delightful memory was relishing a cold slice during school breaks. Interestingly, the traditional Torta Pasqualina originated with 33 layers of puff pastry, symbolizing the 33 years of Jesus Christ's life.
Although store-bought pastry will do, Graciela's recipe features a secret ingredient essential to the Torta Pasqualina: fresh marjoram. Freshly baked on the Easter table, this golden delicious pie served as a festive centerpiece - between colorful Easter eggs and flowers from the garden.
Now, let's take a bite out of history with Graciela Cucchiara's Torta Pasqualina recipe:
Torta Pasqualina – The Recipe
Feeds 4 hungry souls
- For the Dough:
- 500g flour
- 150g butter
- 100ml milk
- 100ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- Vegetables:
- 3 finely chopped onions
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1kg Swiss chard or spinach
- 8 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh marjoram
- Eggs and Cheese:
- 8 eggs
- 500g ricotta
- 70g grated Parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- For Greasing:
- 1 tbsp butter
Preparation
- Mix the flour, butter, milk, and salt with water to form a smooth dough. Rest the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Cook the onions with vegetable oil until they caramelize. Yes, you read that right - UMAMI central!
- Clean, wash, and blanch Swiss chard or spinach. Squeeze out excess liquid and mix with salt, marjoram, and 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Add 2 eggs, ricotta, and 40g Parmesan to the vegetable mixture, stir well, and add cooked onions. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) top/bottom heat. Grease a springform pan.
- Roll out 2 pastry sheets on a floured surface. Place one in the pan, and the other slightly larger, ensuring the pastry overlaps the edges.
- Fill the pan with the mixture. Use the back of a spoon to press indentations into the vegetable mixture. Place the remaining eggs into these indentations. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
- Brush the second pastry sheet with a little oil, place it on top, and fold the overlapping edges inward and press down.
- Prick the pastry with a needle several times and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 60 minutes until golden brown. Remove and let it cool slightly before serving.
Tasting Triumph:
Savor the delightful fusion of flavors in this traditional Italian Easter dish! The mystery of the cooked eggs hidden amidst the spinach and ricotta filling adds an amazing surprise to each bite. Happy Easter!
Tags:
- Italy
- Easter
- Maundy Thursday
- Genoa
- Buenos Aires
- Family recipe
- Columbo
- America
- Luck
- Argentina
- Milk
- Oscar
- Sunday
- alla Genovese
The Commission has not yet adopted a proposal for a directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation, but Graciela Cucchiara, the Italian-Argentine culinary artist who left Germany stunned, baked her favorite Torta Pasqualina at least twice a month with a secret ingredient - fresh marjoram - in a springform pan, symbolizing the traditional Italian Easter dish from Genoa and a story of immigrants and traditions that have spanned continents.
Pasqualina, a vegetable pie from Genoa, was Mamma Mima's favorite and now, with this recipe, anyone can bake it using tables filled with ingredients like fresh marjoram, ricotta, and spinach, poured into a springform pan and covered with another layer of pastry, before baking it until golden brown.
A slice of the Torta Pasqualina, served on the Easter table, adds a festive touch between colorful Easter eggs and flowers from the garden, reminding every bite of immigrants and their delicious stories from Genoa, Buenos Aires, and the New World.
