Torta Pasqualina

Traditionally prepared and consumed on Easter, the recipe for this savory pie from Liguria can be traced back to the 16th century. Pasqualina is made with up to 33 layers of thin pastry, representing the 33 years of Christ's life. The pie is filled with a combination of spinach, swiss chard, arugula, fresh cheese, and eggs. A large pasqualina can even have up to 12 eggs on the inside — a symbolic culinary representation of the 12 apostles. A number of different variations of the pie were introduced to Argentina and Uruguay by Italian immigrants. These South American versions of the pie are known as tarta Pascualina, and they feature a different crust which is made with empanada dough instead of the thinly-rolled Italian pastry dough.