Chard Pie

 

Are you wondering how Swiss chard is going to taste in pie form?  Absolutely scrumptious!!  The 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and generous serving of parmigiano reggiano might have something to do with that.

This was served as dinner to my mom, dad, brother and sister with a beautiful green salad and cheddar fennel scones (recipe to come on future blog post - think butter, butter, butter!).  Everyone ate every morsel from their plate. They raved.  They ooh'd.  They ahh'd.  They wanted it for breakfast.  My mom beat my dad to the kitchen next morning, which he was very sorry for.

 
Isn't it pretty? 

   
Still pretty when it's chopped up. Yep.

 
My favorite cast iron skillet.  Doin' the hard work.

   

My lunch. I used a whole wheat crust here, which I think lends itself nicely to the flavor combo here. I didn't blind bake the crust here, because the recipe didn't call for it and the crust was absolutely gorgeous!

Printable Recipe Here 

Chard Pie 
serves 8

2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onions
1 T. minced garlic or several chopped garlic scapes
1 very large bunch of Swiss chard, spinach or other greens, chopped
6-8 eggs
2 c. milk or cream
1 t. salt
2 8-in deep dish pie shells (recipe follows)
2 c. grated cheddar or Swiss cheese
1/2 c. grated parmigiano regianno
chopped ham, cooked bacon, diced tomatoes, chopped basil, blanched peas, or green beans (optional)
1-2 T. chopped fresh dill, basil or parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add chopped greens and cook, stirring often, until they wilt. Turn off heat. Beat eggs, milk, salt and chopped herbs in bowl. Spread chard mixture in bottom of pie shells. Add cheeses. Pour egg mixture over top. Add one or more of the optional ingredients, if desired. Cover crust edges with tinfoil and remove 10 minutes before baking is finished. Bake at 400 degress until the pies are no longer jiggly in the center, 30-40 minutes. Makes 16 slices.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
12 t. butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/3 c. lard, chilled
6 to 8 T. ice water

Mix flour, salt and sugar together in large bowl. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with some flour. Cut butter into flour with pastry cutter. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas. Add 4 T. ice water and mix in with fork or pastry cutter. Add more water in small amounts. Shape dough into tow balls with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 4 inch wide disks. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling or freeze up to 6 months.