Farinata di Zucca | Italian Savory Squash Pie
This yummy, savory pie comes from a very small part of northern Italy but deserves to be well-known throughout the world! The dough, made with squash juice, is quite distinctive and pairs beautifully with the filling.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make this recipe here:
For this recipe, you will need:
1/2 large butternut squash, peeled (you'll want about 600g, or 21 oz., of raw squash after peeling)
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup (30g) corn flour
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
1.75 oz. (50g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp polenta or cornmeal
Fresh black pepper
Dried oregano
A nut milk bag, cheese cloth or other tool for juicing the squash
Grate the squash with a fine cheese grater and squeeze with a nut milk bag in order to extract as much juice as possible. If you have a juicing machine, you can use that provided you are able to save the pulp. Set the squash pulp aside for later.
On a clean surface, roughly mix together the all-purpose and corn flours, along with a generous pinch of salt. Form the pile into a small volcano and drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil into the center.
Pour a little bit of the squash juice into the volcano and begin whisking it with a fork while gradually mixing in the surrounding flour. Continue to mix in squash juice until you get a smooth dough that is soft and not sticky. Dust with all-purpose flour as needed if you accidentally add too much juice. Knead the dough by hand until it is very even, then wrap in plastic and let it rest for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place the squash pulp into a mixing bowl and combine with the grated cheese, polenta, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt/pepper to taste. Mix well.
Preheat an oven to 395 degrees F (200C).
Brush a 9-inch pie dish lightly with olive oil. On a floured surface, roll out the dough in a big circle until it is large enough to drape over the pie dish and overhang the edges completely. Do so, and gently press the dough so that it fills the corners of the dish.
Press the squash stuffing flat into the pie crust, then drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with dried oregano. Fold the overhanging dough inward, forming a series of overlapped flaps on the top surface of the pie. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown slightly.
Serve warm or cold. Buon appetito!