Chef notes
This dish will forever remind me of home. It's delicious, inexpensive to make and the ingredients can be found pretty much everywhere. My mom absolutely nails it every time and it's fun to make together because you use your hands to mix the ingredients, and it's actually how you find the "sweet spot" for consistency. It's like a knuckleball — I can teach you how to throw one in an afternoon, but it'll take a lifetime to throw for strikes. You can do this recipe super simply, but the more you do it, the better you'll get at it!
Technique tip: Start the pie covered loosely with foil for the first 30-35 minutes in the oven, then uncover to let cheese brown the rest of the way.
Swap option: Onions are totally optional! You can also experiment and add basil, green onion or shallots.
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, diced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
- 1 pound low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks or shredded, divided
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs, preferably Progresso Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for topping (optional)
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a large glass or ceramic baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
2.In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the onions to a large bowl.
3.Add the spinach, ricotta, 3/4 of the mozzarella, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the grated cheese, if using.
4.Bake for 45 minutes, until the pie is set and the top is golden and slightly crusty.
5.To serve, cut into wedges or just spoon onto plates.
