I love this Sicilian savoury, rustic ricotta pie. I first came across the recipe when I was in Modica, Sicily, when  doing research for my book ‘ Spring in Sicily’. It is a beautiful simple dish :  the combination of  the ricotta, parmiggiano and pecorino cheese,  the  ham and herbs  all wrapped in a savoury pastry is packed with flavour. It makes a whole meal in itself and can be served  hot or cold.

• for the pastry

• 500 gr unbleached  plain flour
• 150 gr unsalted butter at room temperature
• 50 gr freshly grated parmiggiano
• 1 organic egg
• 125 ml dry Marsala or Sherry
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
• put all the above ingredients into your food processor
• pulse until the dough is amalgamated
• roll it into a ball and refrigerate for about 1 hour

•  pre heat oven to 200 ˚
• for the filling

• 500 gr fresh ricotta
• 150 gr ham, diced
• 100 gr freshly grated aged pecorino
• 100 gr freshly grated parmiggiano
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 chilli some seeds removed and chopped finely
• small bunch of fresh sage and Italian parsley, chopped

• in a small fry pan fry the sage in a little butter and oil until crisp
• add the chilli and parsley and let the parsley wilt, take off flame
• mix all the filling ingredients together very well

• Michele rolled out the pastry for me to 1 cm thickness
•  he used half the pastry to line a buttered 24 cm spring form

• pour the filling into the pie dish
• use the remaining pastry and cover the filling like a lid
• press down well around the rim to seal the edges
• with a fork prick the pie lid all over

• bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes
• let the pie cool a little before slicing

• I served a ruggola and fennel salad with the ricotta pie
• serves 5-6 people