This recipe goes back to the 1960s when mom would prepare this with homemade puff pastry dough and we all would wait in anticipation as the fabulous smell went through the house.
Fresh garlic, with the herbs and spices, was perfect with the spinach and broccoli folded in three different.
All these flavors all melded together perfectly and this meatless vegetable pie was served many times during the year for breakfast or dinner.
Mom made lots of different savory pies, one especially called Pizza Rustica at Easter, and then there was also an Italian Style Quiche we all loved.
This pie has a lot of steps to it, but don't let that stop you, it's easy with my step by step instructions below.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe, and don't forget to check out our tips and photos.
Savory Pies
Using puff pastry was always a little scary to me, but once I tried it I just love the flaky pastry crust it makes.
This reminds me of a Greek puff pastry pie without the broccoli in it, called Spanakopita which is a really rich pie stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses, and herbs that are all enfolded by crispy, flaky phyllo dough and very similar to how mom made her version.
Ours is quite a bit different in flavor but the same concept.
Tips:
- Thaw the dough in the refrigerator for 24 hours
- When spreading the filling on the dough using the back of a spoon not to rip the dough
- Bake until golden browned and crispy this may take longer than an hour in some ovens
- All additions must be a dry vegetable if using zucchini blot it dry with paper towels
Ingredients You Will Need To Make Italian Three Cheese Spinach and Broccoli Pie with Puff Pastry
Refer to recipe card for exact measurements
- fresh chopped spinach or frozen spinach drained and water squeezed all out
- fresh chopped broccoli or frozen chopped, steamed in the microwave for 7 minutes drained
- cloves of fresh minced garlic
- garlic powder and extra for top
- dry parsley and oregano
- fresh of chopped parsley
- feta cheese
- mozzarella
- ricotta cheese
- cayenne pepper
- eggs
- grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish
- package of puff pastry defrosted in refrigerator for at least 24 hours
- flour to work the dough
- butter melted
- tap water
Other Addition Suggestions:
- Onions minced
- Artichoke Hearts chopped
- Finely minced asparagus
- Boiled chopped escarole
- Shredded zucchini or eggplant blotted dry
- Swiss Chard boiled
- Steamed Kale
- Chopped boiled eggs
- Hot Capicola ham minced
- Chopped Prosciutto
- Crispy fried crumbled bacon
- Italian loose sausage cooked and drained
Tools You Will Need
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 12 x 9 baking pan
- Garlic press
- Microwaveable dishes
- Parchment paper
- Knife
- Pastry brush
More Recipes To Try:
Mushroom Zucchini Quiche
Zucchini Tomato Tart
Low Carb Zucchini Cupcake
Bacon and Egg Biscuits
Pin for later
The Puff Pastry
If you really want to make this completed all from scratch, here is mom's Puff Pastry Recipe.
To save time, I do buy the one you will find in the frozen food section by Pepperidge Farms.
I would love your feedback if you try this delicious savory pie/quiche recipe, it's many years old and a favorite I make in mom's memory.
Italian Three Cheese Spinach and Broccoli Pie with Puff Pastry
Yield: 10
Prep time: 25 MCook time: 1 hourTotal time: 1 H & 25 M
This is a delicious brunch or dinner pie with spinach, broccoli lots of feta and ricotta cheese baked all inside of a puff pastry Dough. These step by step photo will give you a delicious gourmet savory pie meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fresh chopped spinach or frozen spinach drained and water squeezed all out
- 1 cup of fresh chopped broccoli or frozen chopped, steamed in the microwave for 7 minutes drained
- 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and extra for top
- 1/4 teaspoon dry parsley and oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh of chopped parsley
- 1 cup of feta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 eggs
- grated Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish or Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 package of 17.3 oz package of puff pastry defrosted in refrigerator for at least 24 hours
- flour to work the dough
- 1/3 cup of butter melted
- tap water
- Preheat the oven to 335 degrees.
- Optional Additions: (use around 1/2 cup
- Onions minced
- Artichoke Hearts chopped
- Finely minced asparagus
- Boiled chopped escarole
- Shredded zucchini or eggplant blotted dry
- Swiss Chard boiled
- Steam Kale
- Chopped boiled eggs
- Hot Capicola ham minced
- Chopped Prosciutto
- Crispy fried crumbled bacon
- Italian loose sausage cooked and drained
Instructions:
- Add coarsely chop the spinach and place it in a large bowl.
- Add chopped broccoli, spices and parsley add to the spinach.
- Mix in the feta cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and eggs to the mixture.
- Using a fork mix all of the ingredients together.
- Allow the puff pastry to defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Separate it into two equal parts.
- Roll the pastry with a rolling pin (the same way you would with pizza dough) to fit the size of 12 x 8-inch brownie style pan.
- Either line a pan with parchment paper or just butter the pan and place half of the puff pastry on the pan.
- Brush some melted butter on the dough for the bottom layer then the spinach mixture on top.
- Brush edges to seal the pastry all along the edge of the pan with tap water.
- Place the second half of the puff pastry on top of the mixture.
- Fold in the edges.
- Use a fork to seal.
- Butter the top layer with remaining butter sprinkle with garlic powder lightly on top.
- Make slanted slits in the dough in V formation, for a fancy top and easy to cut pattern.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 335 degrees.
- Cool a few minutes, cut and serve garnish with grated cheese and fresh parsley.
Calories
415
415
Fat (grams)
26
26
Sat. Fat (grams)
11
11
Carbs (grams)
26
26
Net carbs
14
14
Sugar (grams)
12
12
Pin this for later
More Savory Pies
Prime Rib Pot Pie
Venison Stew Pot Pie
Turkey Pot Pie
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2020.
Hello this is Pierre from Paris in France
ReplyDeleteI love your italian style of cooking ! come and see my blog I hope you'll like it !! see you Pierre
Your pie turned out beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that it's so easy to put together. YUM!
Wow! You really have a winner here. This would be an impressive dish to take to a party!
ReplyDeleteThat looks delicious. I love all the vegetables that make the pie looks very beautiful when cut.
ReplyDeleteOh wow this looks great! Nice combination of flavors. Reminds me of the spinach pie grandma made for Christmas. My cousin now carries on that tradition.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great recipe!
ReplyDeletePerfection. May I have some now? If my mother made that, I would always have eaten my vegetables.
ReplyDeletemmmm.... what a wonderful dish! Wish I had the puff pastry! Great way to eat your veggies, too
ReplyDelete3 cheeses, spinach and brocolli. What more can you ask for? It's really simple to make. Healthy and simple recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis is a sure winner
ReplyDeletehon, this is fabulous - love it, love it.....can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeletewow this would make the ultimate brunch dish great combination of ingredients and flavors
ReplyDeleteThat's a lotta yummy pie, girly!!! But the veggies make it healthy ... right? ; )
ReplyDeleteI love anything with pastry! Puff pastry is definitely one of them.
ReplyDeleteYour pie looks so pretty, and I love how much veggi you put into it.
This pie looks amazing! I need to make this for sure - my daughter would especially love this, she is a huge puff pastry fan (our puff pastry recipe is to be posted very soon!)
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! Puff Pastry is a staple in my freezer, I love the Puff! Great recipe and photos!
ReplyDeletea very good recipe!delicious!
ReplyDeleteI want to get sent puff pastry! that looks crazy good Pegasus! :)
ReplyDeleteThank all of you for these wonderful comments...I really appreciate your feedback and glad you like this recipe...my inspiration for this and ingredients came from a stuffed pizza dough roll and using this actually made this calzone style pie a pleasant change for us..thanks again I love these comments.
ReplyDeletethis looks so tasty and savory and good gooey. i'll have to make this for my fiance since he loves spinach so much. congrats on the freebie! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh WOW. Now THAT'S a good use of the puff pastry. Me wants!
ReplyDeleteThat is just plain, Cheesy Goodness!! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome Claudia. Beautiful crust!
ReplyDeleteThe pie looks looks so good. I love spinach and and broccoli but I wish the kids would eat it maybe this pie will do the trick.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Happy Cruise and Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeletelove making pastries looks delicious
ReplyDeleteThis is a great dish! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing savoury pie with all the cheese and veggies!
ReplyDeleteWow this pie sounds beyond delicious! Three cheeses? Yes! Spinach? Yes! Puff pasty? Yes! It sounds like the pie of my dreams :D
ReplyDeleteOh wow; that looks delicious! It reminds me of a spinach pie I used to get at a local Irish pub. Pinned.
ReplyDeleteI love how easy this is to make with the frozen puff pastry!
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious. I'll definitely be making this one. I've tried a few of your other recipes, and they've all be winners so I'm excited!
ReplyDeleteSuch an amazing flavor! It looks super impressive but it's actually very easy to prepare. :)
ReplyDeleteDelicious! We loved all the cheese in it and a good amount of fresh parsley! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDelete