Torta salata agli spinaci e zafferano / Pita sa špinatom i šafranom

I had no idea what to prepare for lunch, but I wanted something a bit special (as I always want ;). Savory tarts are always a special treat for me, a kind of lunch that celebrates all the good of the ingredients incorporated in it.
I found saffron in my kitchen closet, a bunch of fresh spinach leaves and a few types of cheese in my fridge, so I concluded the best way would be to bake a tart. :)
"La torta salata agli spinaci" is a popular Italian dish and a name for savory tart similar to french quiche, but often filled with spinach and ricotta.
I decided to add saffron powder because it pairs nice with spinach, it gave a nice twist and color to this tart. You should try this amazing "torta salata". ;)

Ingredients, serves 3

Shortcrust pastry

200g wheat flour
100 g cold butter
pinch of salt
1 egg

Place the flour, butter and salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips or in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.
Add the egg  to the mixture and using a cold knife stir until the dough binds together, add cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm / plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Roll the dough out as thinly as you can. Line a 25cm diameter pie tin, easing the pastry into the base. Prick the base with the fork and place in the fridge until you make the filling.

The filling

200g baby spinach leaves
2 eggs
200ml milk (instead of putting cooking cream, for a lighter version)
100ml sour cream or creme fraiche
1g powdered saffron, or in threads
50g grated parmesan cheese (Parmiggiano Reggiano, Grana Padano)
150 g cheese "škripavac" , grated(squeaky cheese), or Gouda
salt & freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Saute spinach leaves in 1 spoon of olive oil for a couple of minutes, until  spinache is wilted and all the liquide avaporates. Remove from the heat, add saffron, milk and sour cream and stir. Allow to cool and then add eggs and all the other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Remove the pastry case from the fridge. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking paper and add baking beans (or rice) to weigh it down. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the paper and beans and place the filling.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to coola little bit. Serve in wedges, with some extra virgin olive oil, a tbspoon of sour cream and freshly ground black pepper.

Recept na hrvatskom

Kada sam u Italiji, često kupim pitu od špinata. Njihova "torta salata agli spinaci" priprema se slično kao quiche, a najčešće je punjena špinatom i skutom.
Ovaj put sam dodala u ovu svoju verziju šafran koji se baš odlično uklopio okusom sa špinatom. Svakako probajte! :)


Sastojci, za 4 osobe

Prhko tijesto
200 g brašna
100 g hladnog maslaca, na listiće
prstohvat soli
1 jaje

Brašno, sol i maslac miješajte prstima, ili u multipraktiku dok ne dobijete smjesu nalik krušnim mrvicama. Dodajte 1 umućeno jaje, i po potrebi žlicu hladne vode tako da umijestie mekano prhko tijesto. odložite ga u hladnjak na najmanje 15 minuta do 30 minuta, umotano u prozirnu foliju.
Izvadite tijesto iz hladnjaka pa ga razvucite i premjestite u kalup za pite promjera 25 cm. Izbockajte tijesto vilicom i smjestite u hladnjak ponovno dok ne pripremite nadjev.

Nadjev

200 g mladog špinata
2 jaja
200 ml mlijeka 
100 ml kiselog vrhnja
1g šafrana u prahu
50 g ribanog parmezana
150 g naribanog škripavca, ili goude
sol i svježe mljeveni papar
ekstra djevičansko maslinovo ulje

Šoinat narežite na sitno pa ga pirjajte na 1 žlici maslinovog ulja dok ne uvene i dok sva tekućina ne ispari. Maknite sa vatre, posolite, dodajte šafran, mlijeko i kiselo vrhnje pa promiješajte sve. Pustite da se malo ohladi pa dodajte sve ostale sastojke.

Pećnicu zagrijte na 180C.
Tijesto u kalupu izvadite iz hladnjaka, prekrijte ga papirom za pečenje pa dodajte grah, rižu ili kamenčiće, tako da se tijesto ne napuše tokom pečenja. Pecite 15 minuta, pa nakon toga maknite papir za pečenje i grah, dodajte nadjev od špinata i pecite u pećnici 30-40 minuta, dok blago ne porumeni.
Servirajte pitu sa kiselim vrhnjem, ekstra djevičanskim maslinovim uljem i svježe mljevenim paprom.