Tuscan Spinach Bake

I recently had some friends over for brunch and I didn't want to make the usual pancakes and eggs. I decided to make this Tuscan Spinach Bake which reminded me of a dish we make at Christmas. What I came up with was a tall baked pie that was loaded with salty pancetta, spinach, creamy ricotta, sweet peppers and savory Fontina cheese encased in a buttery, flaky puff pastry. What made it even better was that I was able to make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven just before my company arrived so that I could spend time with them instead of being in the kitchen.

Makes 8-12 servings

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (thawed)

1 Yellow Onion (diced)

1 TBS Olive Oil

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

4 Cloves Garlic (minced)

2 10 oz. pkg. Frozen Chopped Spinach (thawed, drained)

3 oz Pancetta (diced) *

6 Lg. Eggs

1 ½ C Fontina Cheese (shredded) *

1 C Whole Milk Ricotta

2 TBS Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

2-3 dashes Hot Sauce

1 C Red Bell Pepper (diced)

Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400°F.

Unfold the puff pastry on a floured board. Roll out one sheet to 12” x 12” and the second sheet to 11” x 11” square.

Spray a 9” springform pan with cooking spray and place the springform pan on a cookie sheet (to catch any drippings). Place the 12” x 12” puff pastry sheet in the springform pan with the corners draped over the edge of the pan (see photo).

Diced the onion finely and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and the salt and cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer to a medium sized bowl.

Dice the pancetta. Add to the frying pan that you just used for the onions and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Drain the spinach by squeezing the spinach in your hand to remove excess moisture. If you don’t squeeze out the water your bake will be soupy.

Beat the 6 eggs in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of egg to brush the top of the pastry.

Add the spinach and fried pancetta to the bowl with the onions along with the 1 ½ cups of shredded Fontina , one cup of ricotta, two dashes of hot sauce, two tablespoons of grated Romano cheese and the beaten eggs.

Diced the red pepper. Pour half of the spinach mixture in the pastry lined springform pan. Top with half of the diced peppers. Add the remaining spinach filling and top with the remaining red peppers.

Place the remaining 11”x 11” puff pastry on top of the spinach filling. Trim the pastry so that 2” of the pastry can be folded over the edge. Pinch the edges to seal. Brush the top with the remaining egg and cut some steam vents in the top of the pastry.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and remove the sides of the springform pan.

NOTE: This can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance. If chilled bake at 350°F for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden brown.

* PRONTO SUBSTITUTE

Pancetta – Substitute bacon for the pancetta.

Fontina Cheese – Fontina is a soft Italian cheese. You can substitute a mild Swiss or cheddar cheese if you can’t get Fontina.

To print this recipe, go to Tuscan Spinach Bake