Spinach, ham and cheese pie
This simple to prepare pie is delicious served hot or cold. Works well with other types of cheese, and it can be made with many other fillings.
Ingredients
Instructions
In a bowl, mix spinach, onion, ham, cheese, lemon thyme leaves (if using) and season with salt and pepper.
Hea the oven to 400ºF.
Divide the pastry in two pieces with one slightly smaller than the other. If ithe pastry is in a ball, roll out the smaller one to the shape of a rectangle on a floured surface. Place the smaller piece on a baking sheet, lightly greased or lined with baking paper.
Place the ham, cheese and onion mixture onto the rolled pastry, leaving a 1 inch border all around.
Roll out the other piece of pastry into a rectangle that will cover the pie, including the filling, without stretching. Lay on top of and seal the edge. Trim the edges if necessary to make them neat. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake in the hot oven for 215 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350ºF and continue cooking for 15 minutes more, until golden and well risen.
Remove from the oven. Let the pie cool slightly and serve hot, or let it cool completely to serve cold.
Notes
The spinach can be fresh or frozen. The onion is best cut with a mandolin. If you don´t have one and you are not able to cut very thin slices, it is better to cook it in oil until a little tender.
Don´t forget that the pastry usually needs to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, if refrigerated.
If frozen, defrost in advance. Roll out in a floured surface.
If necessary, press with a fork to seal the edges. You could paint the border of pastry with beaten egg so it would stick better to the other layer of pastry.
You could make some horizontal slashes 1 inch apart for decoration.
Without the beaten egg, the pie can be prepared in advance.
Variations
Omit the spinach and add more ham and cheese. Susbtitute spinach with cooked sweet peppers.
Try a filling of thinly sliced potato, cooked until barely tender, onion, cheese and apple.