SFORMATO DI RICOTTA E SPINACI and an Italian lesson

What do we call a Sformato Di Ricotta in English? It’s a bit tricky. If I were to label it as a “Ricotta and Spinach Bake,” most people might picture something pasta-based (or maybe even rice, right?). Call it a “pie,” and people would expect a pastry crust. A “terrine”? Well, that’s usually cooked in a bain-marie. And a “frittata” would conjure up images of something fried, not baked.

That’s why I’m sticking with the Italian word: sformato. It’s spot on, even if the translation doesn’t quite capture it. In English, sformato is often translated as a “flan,” “pie,” or even “quiche.” But these words don’t really do justice to the beauty and simplicity of this dish.

For me, a sformato is a savory composition made by binding together eggs, chopped or pureed vegetables (or sometimes meat, fish, or other proteins) with seasonings, and baking it to perfection. It could contain pasta, rice, or breadcrumbs for added texture and thickness. It’s not as light and airy as a souffle because it generally uses fewer eggs. Think of it as a comforting, savory custard—baked until golden and set.

The word sformato comes from the verb sformare, which means “to unmold,” so you know it’s something that gets tipped out of a dish and served on a plate. It’s baked in a vessel that gives it its shape, hence the name. The beauty of a sformato is its versatility. You can create all kinds of variations depending on the season, what’s in your fridge, or the flavors you’re craving. It’s also one of the best ways to repurpose leftover vegetables, much like how the Anglo version of using leftovers often turned into a cheesy mornay.

In Italy, sformati are loved across regions, each with its own take on the dish. This ricotta and spinach version is particularly popular, with the creaminess of the ricotta perfectly balancing the earthy flavour of the spinach. Adding a sprinkle of Parmigiano or Pecorino brings a depth of flavour that makes this dish really flavourful..

Like most Italian recipes, the quantities here are more of a guideline than a strict rule. If you’ve got extra spinach, add more eggs. Want a richer flavour? Add more butter. It’s all about adjusting to your taste and what you have on hand.

If you’re in the mood for something savory, comforting, and just a little indulgent, make this Sformato di Ricotta e Spinaci. It’s the perfect dish to turn leftover greens into something wonderful. Plus, now you know how to pronounce and define “sformato” like a true Italian food lover!

 

Ingredients in my sformato:

4 eggs, 700 gms ricotta, 50g butter

400 gms cleaned and chopped spinach

1 spring onion finely chopped, 1 clove of chopped garlic (optional),1 clove minced garlic

½ – 1 cup grated parmigiano or pecorino (stronger taste), some cultures may use feta

salt pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste, 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds if you wish to add a different layer to the dish (in other cultures dill is popular and you may wish to use this)

a little extra virgin olive oil to saute the vegetables and more butter to grease the mold.

I also had some parmigiano that had gone hard in my fridge and I wanted to use that up so I chopped it into little pieces and added it to the mixture.

Oven to 180 /200C

Pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a pan and add the onion and garlic and lightly sauté the ingredients.

Add spinach and fennel seeds (if using) and wilt it for 5-7 minutes.

Drain the spinach. Let it cool.

Prepare a mold 20-26 cm/8-10 baking pan by rubbing it liberally with butter on the base and up the sides. Better still, use buttered baking paper to line the pan. I  used an old pyrex dish and had run out of baking paper, and as you will see in my photo below the bottom of my sformato stuck. Maybe, if you are not using baking paper, shake a little flour or breadcrumbs over the buttered baking pan.

Beat the eggs with the ricotta and butter. I used a kitchen hand/ blender.

Mix in the spinach mixture, grated cheese and bits of cheese if using. Decide how pureed you would like the spinach and blend accordingly.

Place the mixture into the prepared baking pan; smooth it over.

Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes or until cooked in the centre. When it is cooked the sformato will spring back when touched.  Mine cooked for 55mins but I think it could have been left for about 10 minutes to set even further.

It cut quite nicely and we had it hot,  but it was also good to eat cold the next day. Like frittata, a sformato is portable and perfect for a picnic.

I had some tomato salsa (what some call Napoli Sauce – peeled, chopped tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, garlic clove… all cooked together and reduced till thickened).

Other recipes related to this post:

OMLET DI SPINACI (Pancakes ricotta and spinach)

TORTA DI VERDURA (A vegetable flan or pie)

ALL ABOUT MAKING FRITTATA and Podcast with Maria Liberati