Spinach and Ricotta Scacciata Recipe

Spinach and ricotta schiacciata bread wedges piled on wood board.

Spinach and Ricotta Scacciata Recipe

This Sicilian spinach ricotta scacciata recipe comes together in no time with my easy no knead dough and only 3 ingredients for the filling!

Course Antipasto, snack, main dish

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 25

Resting Time 9

Servings large servings

Calories 268kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Equipment

1 12 inch pizza pan

Ingredients

1 recipe easy no knead pizza dough
200 grams frozen spinach
2 cups whole milk ricotta
⅓ cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
¾ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the dough

Prepare 1 recipe of no knead dough until step #6, that is shape the dough into a ball after it has risen from 6-24 hours.
Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a ball. Cover and let rest while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling

Strain ricotta: place the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve or a colander covered with cheese cloth to drain excess water. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Place frozen spinach cubes in a small sauce pan with a little water, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes.
Drain water, let cool and squeeze out as much water as possible.
Combine spinach, ricotta and Pecorino Romano cheese in a bowl. Season with salt, to taste.

Shape the scacciata

Flatten one dough ball with your finger tips, or a rolling pin if you prefer, into a circle approximately 12 inches.
Place on your pizza pan and cover with ricotta spinach filling, leaving a ½ inch border all around.
Flatten the second piece of dough into a circle large enough to cover the scacciata filling.
Roll the top and bottom edges together to seal.
Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes, or up to one hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Use a fork to prick small holes on the dough, to let steam escape during baking, and brush lightly with olive oil.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown both on top and underneath.
Transfer the baked scacciata to a wire rack to cool. Wait about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

To Substitute Fresh Spinach for Frozen

Substitute 18 cups raw spinach for frozen spinach. Wilt the spinach in a large skillet with a bit of water. Let cool and squeeze out extra water before stirring in the ricotta.

Storage

Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350 degrees F preheated oven before serving or enjoy at room temperature.

To Freeze

Wrap well in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and heat in the oven before serving.

Nutrition