Easter Savory Pie Ham Eggs (Print Version)

Hearty pie with flaky pastry, ricotta, ham, spinach, and whole hard-boiled eggs for festive spring meals.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 sheets puff pastry (about 1.1 lbs total), thawed if frozen

→ Filling

02 - 8.8 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 5.3 oz cooked ham, diced
04 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, wilted and chopped
05 - 2.8 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 3 large eggs
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Eggs for Center

11 - 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

→ Egg Wash

12 - 1 egg yolk
13 - 1 tablespoon milk

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or pie pan with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Line the pan with one sheet of puff pastry, pressing gently into the bottom and sides, allowing some pastry to overhang the edges.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta, diced ham, chopped spinach, Parmesan, 3 eggs, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly into the pastry-lined pan, distributing it uniformly across the base.
05 - Create four shallow grooves in the filling and gently nestle the hard-boiled eggs horizontally in a line through the center of the pie.
06 - Cover the eggs with the remaining ricotta mixture, smoothing the top surface evenly.
07 - Place the second sheet of puff pastry over the filling. Trim excess pastry, seal the edges firmly, and crimp decoratively with a fork.
08 - Whisk egg yolk with milk until well combined. Brush the mixture evenly over the top pastry to achieve a golden finish.
09 - Cut 3-4 small slits in the pastry surface to allow steam to escape during baking.
10 - Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing to maintain structural integrity.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • That gorgeous cross-section of hard-boiled eggs is basically edible art that tastes even better than it looks.
  • The ricotta filling is creamy without being heavy, and the ham gives it real depth—it doesn't taste like an afterthought.
  • It's equally impressive served warm from the oven or sliced at room temperature hours later, making it perfect for when you're juggling a dozen things.
02 -
  • If you cut into the pie too soon, the ricotta mixture will ooze out like lava and the eggs won't stay in their pretty positions—that 20-minute rest is not optional, even though it feels endless.
  • Cold eggs are easier to peel cleanly, so boil them, plunge them immediately into ice water, and let them chill before peeling; rushing this step means shells ripping away little pieces of white and frustration creeping in.
03 -
  • If your puff pastry is browning too quickly before the filling cooks through, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes—pastry can brown faster than ricotta can cook, and burnt pastry is a tragedy you want to avoid.
  • The secret to a filling that stays creamy rather than turning rubbery is not overbaking; the moment the pastry is golden and puffed, the filling is done, because it will continue cooking as the pie cools.
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