It has been a couple of intense weeks here in Italy. The city seems to sleep, and our countryside has totally evolved, filling our eyes with natural beauty. Being in the countryside helps me a lot when bearing the lockdown situation we are in. The gardening season has officially begun, and we have sown so many different varieties this year - the garden will look like a jungle in summer, and I can't wait!

Being in constant connection with nature gives my mind the possibility to wander. After a whole day of working, I take some time to walk in our woods, pick some wildflowers, or even asparagus if I find any. Our fields are entirely green, and the Swiss chard is growing everywhere. The spring is extremely warm this year with the most beautiful days, and I can not be grateful enough that I can actually enjoy it.

Being almost self-sufficient, growing your produce, and having your animals get a new dimension when quarantine. Now, more than ever, I appreciate our small garden and everything these fields are giving us.

This savory Swiss chard ricotta pie was inspired by one of those walks in the fields. After collecting a handful of swiss chard down the hill and passing by the chickens to collect fresh eggs, I remembered that I have some sheep ricotta our neighbors down the street have left for us. I knew we would have a pie for dinner.

An easy whole grain shortcrust, some freshly beaten eggs mixed up with ricotta, and slightly blanched chard, and the pie is ready for the oven. This time I was in the mood for some decoration, but you can also make a Swiss chard tart if you feel more like it. Use half of the crust ingredients to make one round base and cover it with filling. The result will be great, I assure you.

This shortbread crust is made with olive oil instead of butter, and if you use whole grain flours, you will get a tasteful tart with enough crunch and texture. I always use spelt flour, but a mixture of spelt and rye flour would work perfectly as well. As this might be a sensitive period to find all different kinds of flour, you can also use regular white flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour as well. The recipe calls for sesame seeds as they add that extra flavor, but it is totally up to you if you want to add them or not. No need for adding eggs or butter – this tart base is light in texture and so tasteful. Perfect for vegan recipes and veggie tarts.

alternatives to the recipe

In my kitchen, everything is versatile. If you don't have Swiss chard, use spinach or other leafy greens such as chicory. If you don't have sheep ricotta use the regular one or even a mixture of mild, fresh cheeses. The taste of the pie will depend on how strong your cheese is, and I wouldn't recommend using those that have a strong flavor as they will completely cover the taste of Swiss chard in the filling.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and if you decide to make it, make sure to tag me on Instagram @thehungryapron and use #makingordinarymagical to find and share your creations!

Savory Swiss Chard Ricotta Pie
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8 

For the  crust 

500g spelt flour

90ml olive oil

4 tbsp sesame seeds

pinch of salt

ice-cold water

FOR THE filling

250g ricotta cheese

300g blanched Swiss chard

2 eggs

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 egg yolk + 2 tbsp milk for brushing

METHOD

In a large bowl mix together flour, sesame seeds, and salt. Add olive oil and start adding water, a spoon at the time. Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Add more water if the dough feels dry or a bit more flour if it results too wet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.
Prepare your filling by beating 2 eggs and mixing them with ricotta. Add in slightly cut blanched Swiss chard. Adjust with salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven at 180°C. Prepare a round baking dish Ø24cm and cover with a baking sheet. Roll out the half of your dough on a lightly floured surface and transfer it to the baking pan. With a fork, make little holes, so your pastry doesn’t rise while baking. Cover with swiss chard ricotta filling. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough and cover the pie by sealing the edges. Brush the pie with egg yolk mixture and bake for 40-60 minutes until your pastry has a nice golden color. Serve warm.

NOTES

If you decide to make a tart instead of a pie, use half of the ingredients for the crust and the same amount of filling. Check your tart after 30 minutes as it will take less to bake than a pie will.

*In collaboration with Mimina Granola

If you haven't tried combining pumpkin and apple before, you've got to try it now! This Roasted Pumpkin Apple Soup with Cheddar and Apple Cinnamon Granola is a game changer! The soup has a mildly sweet taste thanks to the roasted apples, is so creamy, and a sprinkle of crunchy granola and fresh thyme brings this dish to a whole another level!

Soups are one of my favorite indulging winter dishes that I enjoy in the evening near the fireplace. So easy to make yet so comforting and delicious. For this recipe, I teamed up with Francesca from Mimina Granola and enjoyed adding her delicious Apple Cinnamon Granola to this recipe. Even though her savory granola could work as well here, I used an apple - cinnamon combination to make it more interesting and sweet. All granola you can find on her website is organic, vegan, and made with high-quality ingredients, which you can feel immediately. The Apple Cinnamon version is not too sweet and has a perfect crunchy texture. Rolled oats mixed with dried apples, roasted almonds, and cinnamon make this granola really unique. 

It's not news that I love using pumpkin during autumn and winter, as there are so many delicious meals that include squash. I often buy more than I need and use it for different dishes, both sweet and savory. My favorite way of preparing a pumpkin is to simply roast it in the oven with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, often leaving the skin on. In this way, the pumpkin preserves its consistency and is so versatile - you can use it for salads, as a side dish, blend it in a puree or use for a soup.

I often use a pumpkin apple combination in my desserts, but this time I decided to give an interesting twist to my standard pumpkin soup and roast squash with apples and red sweet onions. You will be surprised how good this combination actually is!

Roasted apples give a mildly sweet taste to the soup and go so well with the rest of the ingredients. You will definitely notice the difference as instead of having a strong pumpkin flavor, you will be able to taste just a tiny sweet note of apples and roasted onions at the end. A good handful of shredded cheddar makes this soup so creamy, and the final touch of cinnamon apple granola and fresh thyme will give extra taste and texture to your soup. 

I call this a surprise soup, as when I first made it, my husband expected a regular pumpkin soup, and it was everything just not that. It was sweet and savory, creamy with crunchy flakes, and it was incredibly delicious!

This roasted pumpkin apple soup is perfect for the holidays as well, as unique combinations and flavors will surely fascinate your guests!

If you would like to know more about Francesca and how she makes her delicious granola, make sure to read my latest article on Table Stories and grab a discount code Francesca left for you. 

Roasted Pumpkin Apple Soup with Cheddar
and Apple Cinnamon Granola
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

Prep. time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Cooking time: 55 minutes

1 medium pumpkin (Butternut squash or other) cut in slices, with seeds removed (About 400g)

1 medium sweet red onion, quartered

2 apples, peeled and chopped in quarters

2 tablespoon olive oil

A pinch of salt

A dash of black pepper

2 cups vegetable broth or water

5-6 stems of fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

50g shredded cheddar

Apple Cinnamon Mimina granola, for serving

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place the pumpkin, onion, and apple on a baking sheet, rub with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and the onion is golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven and allow everything to cool 5 minutes.
Transfer the pumpkin, onion, and apple to a food processor or blender. Add 2 cups of broth or water and pulse until completely smooth.
Pour the soup into a pot and set it over medium heat. Add nutmeg, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a low simmer and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with apple cinnamon granola, fresh thyme, and serve. 

I already told you how I love using strawberries in all our meals, both sweet and sour. This juicy, delicious red fruit gives that extra freshness to all our meals so today I decided to share our favorite summer salad with you. This salad combines asparagus, arugula (or rucola whatever you call it ), spring onions, and feta cheese. An orange vinaigrette that goes on top of it makes this salad even tastier, and once you try it, you will be making this salad all summer long! Trust me when I say this as we have it at least once a week!

When it comes to salads, I love experimenting with flavors, colors, and different textures. During summertime especially, we live on salads as they are refreshing and all you need is to chop your ingredients, toss them in a large bowl and mix up a simple dressing for that little extra that makes your salad mind-blowing! 

For this salad, in particular, the only ingredient that needs cooking is asparagus, but let’s be honest - preparing asparagus takes 10 minutes max. While they are cooking in your pan, you can chop your arugula and prepare all other ingredients. 

Arugula is a perfect base for this salad thanks to its slightly bitter taste, which goes well with the sweetness of strawberries and honey in our vinaigrette. If we look at the ingredients, the recipe also calls for spring onions, which you can omit, but I sincerely suggest adding them as spring onions are sweeter and mellower than regular onions and will give that extra fresh note to your salad. 

Making your own salad dressing is not that hard and definitely will improve the taste of all your salads. Not to mention how healthier is to make it at home, instead of buying dressings in the store that often have additional aroma and additives to them. When making your homemade salad dressing it is all about making a nice balance between acid and oil. 

For this recipe, we will be adding honey and fresh orange juice for extra flavor and smoothness. In fact, this orange vinaigrette gives a balanced, refreshing tone to our salad thanks to the acid part from oranges and vinegar and the sweetness of the honey. Mixed with good quality extra virgin oil, this dressing will become your favorite! You can even make a large portion of it and store it in your fridge for a couple of days. 

This strawberry salad with orange vinaigrette recipe is vegetarian, naturally sweet, and refined sugar-free. For the vegan version, use maple syrup in place of honey and omit the feta cheese. 

Refreshing salad with asparagus, strawberries & feta cheese
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
Prep.time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

For the salad

1kg green asparagus

3 spring onions

A handful of fresh basil

200g fresh arugula salad

500g fresh strawberries

200g Feta cheese

Salt to taste

FOR THE orange VINAIGRETTE  

3 tbsp balsamic cream (or good quality balsamic vinegar that is not very strong)

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp honey

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

METHOD

Prepare asparagus by washing them well and removing the end parts (about 2 cm). Chop them in smaller pieces, about 3 cm long. In a large pan place water just enough to cover your asparagus and add a teaspoon of salt. Once the water is boiling place the asparagus and let them cook for 5 minutes. The asparagus should be cooked but also crunchy. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and rinse with cold water. Leave aside and prepare other ingredients.
Wash strawberries, arugula salad, and green onions. Chop green onions in small rings. Dry your arugula salad and cut it in smaller pieces. You can break it also with your hands if you find it easier. Cut strawberries. Cut feta cheese in small cubes.
Prepare your dressing by mixing all ingredients in a smaller bowl. Whisk until combined.
Prepare your salad by placing asparagus and arugula in a large salad bowl. Add spring onions and strawberries. Add in feta and cover with dressing. Mix well and serve.