Flaky pastry layered with ricotta, ham, spinach, and whole hard-boiled eggs for a hearty spring meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 2 sheets puff pastry (about 1.1 lbs total), thawed if frozen
→ Filling
02 - 8.8 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 5.3 oz cooked ham, diced
04 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, wilted and chopped
05 - 2.8 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 3 large eggs
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Center Eggs
11 - 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
→ Egg Wash
12 - 1 egg yolk
13 - 1 tablespoon milk
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or pie pan with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Lay one sheet of puff pastry into the prepared pan, pressing gently into the bottom and sides while allowing excess to hang over the edges.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, diced ham, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, 3 eggs, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
04 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly across the pastry-lined pan, distributing it uniformly.
05 - Create four shallow grooves in the filling layer and carefully nestle the hard-boiled eggs horizontally in a line along the center.
06 - Cover the eggs with the remaining ricotta mixture, smoothing the top surface evenly.
07 - Place the second sheet of puff pastry over the filling. Trim excess overhang and seal the edges by pressing with a fork or crimping decoratively with your fingers.
08 - Whisk together egg yolk and milk. Brush the mixture evenly over the top pastry surface to achieve a golden finish during baking.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut several small slits in the top pastry to allow steam to escape during cooking.
10 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing to set the filling.
