Scarpazzone, also known as Erbazzone, is a seasonal savory tart from Emilia-Romagna. Like most classic Italian dishes, scarpazzone has humble origins, having been prepared in the countryside during beet season from late spring to All Saints' At accommodations around the region, like Casa Maria Luigia, it's often offered as part of the breakfast spread.
Its name comes from the beet greens, or chard, used in the recipe. In addition to the green part, the recipe also incorporates the white stem, or "shoe" of the plant. Scarpa is the Italian word for shoe – in dialect, this part of the plant was referred to scarpasün or scarpazzone.
Scarpazzone
Photo: Riccardo Lettieri, Styling: Beatrice Prada
Recipe: Joëlle Néderlants
Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes + 1 hour of rest
Ingredients for 6
2⅔ lb. | 1.2 kg. beet greens and/oror Swiss chard
10½ oz. | 300 g. ‘00’ flour
3 oz. | 80 g. diced pancetta
2½ oz.| 70 g. Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP
2 oz. | 50 g. ricotta
1½ oz. | 40 g lard (or extra virgin olive oil)
3 spring onions
garlic
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Make the pastry
Knead the flour with the chopped lard (you can replace it with the same quantity
of extra virgin olive oil), add 6 oz./150 g of water, a pinch of salt, and work it forms a smooth mixture. Cover it and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Make the filling
Chop the spring onions and brown them in a pan with the pancetta and a couple of tablespoons of oil.
Clean the beet greens and/or Swiss chard, and chop the leaves coarsely. Wither in a pan with 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 clove of garlic, salt, and 1 ladle of water for 3-5 minutes. Let them cool, squeeze to wring out excess liquid, then mix in a bowl with the sautéed spring onion, grated Parmigiano, and ricotta, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Divide the dough into two parts, one slightly larger than the other.
Roll out the largest part first, obtaining a 1 mm thick sheet. Line it inside an oiled pan 12″x10″ (30x25 cm), making it overflow.
Spread the chard filling over the pastry.
Roll out the other part of the dough, into a 1 mm sheet, prick it with a fork, and place it over the filling, also overflowing too.
Line up the protruding edges of the pastry, then roll them up forming a cord along the entire perimeter, to sell it.
Brush the surface with a little softened lard and cook at 350°F/180°C in the convection oven for around 45 minutes.
