BCDC -- Jen's Spinach Ricotta Quiche

Jen's Spinach Ricotta Quiche
Served with Cadillac Desert

Torta di Formaggio

INGREDIENTS:
10 sheets of phyllo dough
1/2 pound whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup shredded fontina and parmesan, to taste
1/2 pound (200 g) mild/sweet Italian sausage (about 3 sausages)
3 eggs
10 ounces (250 g) spinach
A clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION:
-Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.
-Wash the spinach well, heat it in a pot with just the water it had on its leaves until it is well wilted, and squeeze out most of the water (you don't want it bone-dry). Mince it.
-Skin the sausage, crumble it into a pan, and briefly sauté it to render out most of the fat, which you will want to discard.
-Separate one of the eggs and set the yolk aside. Lightly beat the remaining 2 eggs and one white, and combine them with the sausage meat, minced spinach, cheeses, and garlic. -Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
-Unroll the phyllo sheets. Keep them covered by a damp towel while you're working. Take the first phyllo sheet and place it on wax paper. Brush melted butter on one half of the sheet, then fold the sheet in half horizontally. Brush butter on the folded sheet.
-Brush some butter into the bottom and sides of a pie pan, then place the folded phyllo sheet so that it is resting on the bottom of the pie pan and overhanging on one side. Repeat with 5 more folded sheets, working around in a circle.
-Spoon the filling into the pie.
-Cover the pie with 4 more folded and buttered phyllo sheets. Re-brush all the edges with butter, press together, and roll up to seal the crusts.
-Puncture the top in several places to allow steam to escape, brush it with the reserved egg yolk, cover with foil, and bake it for about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve it sliced, either warm or cold.

If you don't feel like messing around with phyllo, you can use regular pie crust and it's just as tasty! This recipe makes enough filling for a deep-dish pie pan, you may want to reduce by a little bit if you are using a regular size pie pan.