Swiss Chard Bundles

Swiss chard bundles are a rustic and delicious dish, perfect as an appetizer or a light second course. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 kg of Swiss chard
• 250 g of puff pastry or shortcrust pastry
• 200 g of ricotta cheese
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg (plus an extra yolk for brushing)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the Swiss chard, separating the leaves from the stems. Wash the leaves and stems separately, then chop the stems into small pieces and cook the leaves and stems in salted water for about 5 minutes.
2. Once cooked, drain the Swiss chard well, squeezing it to remove as much excess water as possible. Then roughly chop it with a knife.
3. In a bowl, mix the chopped Swiss chard with the ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg until you have a homogeneous mixture.
4. Roll out the puff pastry or shortcrust pastry and cut into squares of about 10 cm on each side.
5. Place a spoonful of the Swiss chard filling in the center of each square. Then fold the square of pastry over itself to form a triangle, making sure to close the edges well to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking. You can use the tines of a fork to press the edges.
6. Brush the bundles with the beaten egg yolk and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes, or until the bundles are golden brown.
8. Serve the Swiss chard bundles hot or warm.

Curiosity

Swiss chard is a very versatile vegetable in the kitchen and is traditionally used in many Italian regional cuisines. The Swiss chard bundles can be a valid alternative for those who want to try a different approach to the classic savory pie, maintaining delicate but very satisfying flavors.