Recipe: Italian Picnic Potpie

Serves 8

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 packages (10 ounces each) thawed frozen chopped spinach

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ pound thinly sliced baked ham

¾ pound thinly sliced provolone cheese

¼ pound thinly sliced Genoa salami

4 large pieces good quality roasted red bell peppers

Topping:

Extremely Flaky Sour Cream Crust (recipe follows)

Egg wash:

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk beaten with 1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish that is 2 inches deep; set aside.

2. Place a strainer over a medium bowl, put spinach in the strainer and push firmly on the spinach with a large spoon to press out the liquid. Discard liquid. In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat 1 minute. Add spinach and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until you smell the garlic cooking and the oil is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Using about half of the ham, cover bottom of the baking dish with overlapping slices. Cover ham with a third of the cheese. Spread all of the spinach over the top, followed by all of the salami. Top with half of the remaining cheese. Cut bell peppers into strips about 1-inch wide and scatter over the cheese. Spread remaining cheese over peppers, then all of the remaining ham in overlapping slices. Set aside.

4. Lightly flour a rolling surface and rolling pin. Roll crust dough to a shape that is 1 inch larger than the top of the baking dish. Roll dough around a rolling pin and unroll it over the top of the baking dish. Fold ½ inch of the dough under to form a smooth edge. Pinch into a fluted form around the edge, while pressing firmly against the rim of the baking dish. Use a pastry brush to brush top of dough lightly with egg wash. Cut four 2-inch-long slits in the top of the crust to release steam during baking.

5. Bake about 25 minutes or until crust is browned and the filling is bubbling gently. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

From "Potpies: Yumminess in a Dish" by Elinor Klivans