Directions
The Erbazzone is the progenitor of all the pies that have sprung up like mushrooms in recent decades.
But remember one thing, the real Emilian Erbazzone made in Parma and Reggio is a poor dish, born to “recycle in a dish” the wild herbs gathered in the valleys near the Apennines. The only luxury was a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and then off to the oven.
Then the chards came, and still later spinach, but once, when the collection of wild herbs was still an important source of livelihood, all the edible herbs were used to make the filling of the Erbazzone.
You can also use borage, dandelion, in short, do not sclerotize in a banal recipe with frozen spinach…
Another source of discussion is the pasta, the dough of the Erbazzone, which should not be a rich and buttery puff pastry, but a simple dough at most seasoned with a drop of oil.
Ingredients to make the real Emilian Erbazzone
6 generous servings
To make dough
- 400 grams of flour 0
- 30 grams of ostrich butter
- olive oil
- salt
For the stuffing
- 1 kg of chards or spinach, but be creative and throw in what you want
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 60 grams of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 45 grams of EVOO
- 12 grams of salt
- 7 grams of pepper
How to prepare the perfect Erbazzone in a few simple steps, even when blindfolded
As you have seen from the ingredients, the Erbazzone is very spartan, you do not need many ingredients. But these ingredients must be good and fresh, otherwise, you can submerge everything with cream and ricotta as if there were no tomorrow.
Ok, let’s start with the dough: put the flour on a pastry board, make a hole in the middle of the fountain, season with a pinch of salt, pour in the oil, put the butter and start to knead. If you want a lighter dough, use some hot water instead of butter.
Knead the dough quickly, so as not to melt the butter too much, then after a couple of minutes make a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
Wash and steam the chard (or spinach) and add some wild herbs or flowers. Don’t boil your precious veggies, If you boil them all the flavor and nutritional properties go to hell with the cooking water…
Squeeze and chop the chards.
Chop the garlic and fry it in a pan with 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, after 3 minutes on a low flame, toss the beets and sauté for 4-5 minutes, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, then turn off and let it cool.
Roll out the dough into two discs of equal size, 20 cm more or less.
Line a mold or a baking sheet with parchment paper, then grease it with a little oil and roll out the first disk.
Then put the chard filling in the middle, spread, carefully leveling and cover with the other sheet of pasta. You can also prepare it as a strudel rolling the dough.
Make a couple of small cuts over the pasta, to make it “breathe” during cooking.
Heat the oven to 180 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Pull it out, cut and serve this amazing Emilian dish.
If you want to try a deluxe Erbazzone, add 50 grams of Sogliano Formaggio di Fossa, pit cheese. It works wonders.
What wine goes well the Emilian Erbazzone?
Let’s stay in the Emilian territory and uncork the dry Malvasia from the Crocizia winery, fresh, fragrant and with a neverending finish, perfect to discreetly accompany the rustic taste of the Erbazzone. If you want something fancy, Lambrusco, Champagne or Prosecco are perfect.
If you want to combine a cocktail, the Margarita is perfect.
