Ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan are a typical combination used in creating lasagne. Seriously, they work really well together. But they don’t need to be relegated exclusively to that dish. Throw out the pasta and add in some veggies and herbs and now you’ve created a yummy crustless pie that serves well as a side dish or light main entree.
For my vegetable grouping, I sautéed leeks, Shitake mushrooms and Lacinato kale together. To this mixture, I added in a sprinkle of thyme leaves and a hint of fresh grated nutmeg. Using 4 eggs as a base mixed with ricotta cheese and Parmesan, I mixed everything together and baked it in a springform pan.
Make sure to spray the pan with oil to ensure a clean release of your pie. I added an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top with a drizzle of a locally harvested olive oil and baked until set. Simple and easy to pair with almost anything you are serving. I paired mine with a Cedar Plank Salmon Salad. Got my allotment of vegetables in and enjoyed a light, appetizing meal!
Shitake Mushroom & Kale Ricotta Pie
Serves 6
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, de stemmed and chopped into bite sized pieces
- 3 large shitake mushrooms, stemmed, halved and sliced
- 1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Cooking spray
- Preheat oven to 400°. Spray the bottom and sides of a 10 inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan on medium high. Add leeks and sauté for about 2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add shitake mushrooms and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes stirring only occasionally until tender and golden. Add kale and toss for 1-2 minutes until slightly wilted. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, add eggs and whisk until mixed. Add ricotta and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well. Add cooled vegetable mixture and stir to mix.
- Pour the mixture into prepared pan. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set, lightly puffed and golden on top. Rest the pie for a few minutes. Using a thin knife, separate the sides of the pie from the pan and remove the spring collar. Slice and serve.
(click here) for printable recipe
3 opinions on “Move over Lasagne and make room for Ricotta Pie!”
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LOL. Lasagna with pasta was your and my first culinary success story.
Ha! I don’t even remember that. You’ll have to fill me in on the details of what I have evidently forgotten:)
In college from the Good houskeeping books we got from book of the month club. You can get 4 books for a dollar and then you have to buy 4 more over the year, but we left college so we never bought any more. We made it for Patty Simon, (the girl I knew from my Europe trip who we played bingo with at her apt complex.) The lasagna we made with cottage cheese since they didn’t have ricotta in Atlanta. But it was a success!