2ounces(55 g) slab or thick-cut bacondiced in ¼- inch (6 mm) dice
3ounces(85 g) green onions or ramp leavessliced in ½- inch (1.25 cm) slices
1 ½lbs (680 g) mixed wild greenswashed and dried
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
¼teaspoonpumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or equivalent
½cup(50 g) grated Pecorino Romano cheeseor parmigiano reggiano cheese
3egg yolks
1beaten egg, for brushing the top
Instructions
Pastry Crust
Cut the butter into small pieces, then mix with the flour and salt using a pastry blender, until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Gradually add water until the dough can be gathered into a ball.
Divide the dough into 2 two equal pieces, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate to firm (at least 20 minutes or overnight). The dough can be made days ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
Filling
Sweat the bacon on medium heat until the fat renders, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and, cook for a minute. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the greens, add to the pan, cover to help steam them, and cook, stirring occasionally, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed.
Cook the greens until they’re tender and taste good to you (about 10 minutes for me), then transfer to a mixing bowl and cool for a few minutes. Press on the greens with a towel to remove any remaining liquid, then mix in the cheese, egg yolks, and spices. Taste the seasoning for salt and adjust until it tastes good to you.
Rolling out the dough and cooking
Roll out the bottom pastry crust and use it to line a baking dish or pie pan, —or, roll out the dough into a square about 10 to 11 inches” (26 – 28 cm) on a side. If you make a square, line the baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Pack the greens mixture into the crust, pressing down to remove air, then roll out the top crust, lay it over the top, crimp the edges, brush with beaten egg, cut a few slices in the top to let air escape, and bake for 15 minutes.
Then turn down the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake for about 30 minutes more, or until the top is golden brown.
Cool a bit before slicing into servings. The Erbazzone holds heat, travels well, and is good at room temperature.
Notes
Some recipes use ricotta cheese in the filling as well.
Some of the recipe testers recommended making it into hand-pies for more portable portions.
Instead of the bacon, you can cook the onions and greens with extra virgin olive oil.
If you don't have wild onion greens, you can add a few chopped garlic cloves, and substitute the weight of the greens in spinach or chard.