Ricotta & Spinach Crostata

Slice these small and serve as appetizers, or large and alongside a salad. All roads lead to delicious.

• 1 bag of store-bought bread dough
  (fresh, not frozen)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large leek, sliced thinly
• 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups ricotta
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped dill

Preheat your oven to 375˚F, and generously grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with extra-virgin olive oil.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the leeks and onions. Reduce the heat to medium, and let the onions cook and soften for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 3 minutes more.
Stir in the spinach, and cook it just long enough for the leaves to wilt and for the liquid to evaporate. Remove from the heat, and let cool 15 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the bread dough so that it’s 2 inches longer and wider than your baking pan. Place the dough onto the pan, allowing for the overhang.

To a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, ricotta, cream, Parmesan, chives, dill and cooled onion mixture. Mix to combine, and then evenly pour and spread the filling onto the bread dough. Fold the sides up over the filling, brush the edges with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Gently remove the crostata to a cooling rack, and let sit 15 minutes before slicing into squares with a serrated knife. Serve and enjoy.