Savory ham and cheese pie

Name: Savory ham and cheese pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups; Butter cold 10 ½ tbsp; Water cold &frac13; cup; Fine salt 1 pinch; Prosciutto cotto sliced 7 oz; Provola cheese sliced 3.5 oz

it de es fr br

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low
Note + 1 h of rest for the shortcrust pastry

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lulù Gargari

A ham and cheese tart from Southern Italy? Oh, it’s just about as straightforward and satisfying as you can get. Really. It’s the kind of savory tart recipe that shows up at picnics, birthday lunches, and Sunday brunch tables all over the region. Folks in the south like to keep things simple—pretty simple—so homemade pasta brisé is the base. It gets golden and a bit crispy when baked. Really, really good.

Only three main ingredients go in: prosciutto cotto, provola cheese, and the crust. So... You end up with layers of tender cheese and salty ham in every bite. And the sauce? Sometimes folks toss in a handful of peas, a scoop of ricotta, or switch out the provola for robiola or scamorza. It all depends on what's in the fridge. Super practical—slice it up, freeze a few pieces, and you have an easy lunch or snack ready whenever you want something moist and cheesy. Seriously good.

Regional versions pop up all over Italy, especially around Campania and Calabria. The ham and cheese quiche or pie is just as likely to be packed for a lunch outside as it is to land on a buffet table. And that’s part of what makes a homemade savory tart like this so useful. It’s just as tasty served hot, when the cheese is extra gooey and the crust is flaky, as it is at room temperature for a quick bite on a busy day.

Plenty of people will swap in potatoes, greens like escarole, or even a mix of cheeses if they’re out of provola. It’s one of those foods that fits right in with any spread—think soft slices next to olives and tomatoes, or as part of a bigger brunch with a savory pie and salads. You get a little bit of comfort and a lot of flavor in every bite. It’s the kind of thing that always disappears fast. No question.

Whether you're hosting a gathering or enjoying a quiet meal at home, this ham and cheese tart is sure to become a favorite. The balance of creamy cheese and savory ham brings a taste of Southern Italy right to your table. I mean, can’t go wrong.

INGREDIENTS

for the shortcrust pastry: Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g); Butter 10 ½ tbsp (150 g) - cold; Water ⅓ cup (80 g) - cold; Fine salt 1 pinch

for the filling: Prosciutto cotto 7 oz (200 g) - sliced; Provola cheese 3.5 oz (100 g) - sliced

Preparation

How to prepare Savory ham and cheese pie

To prepare the savory pie with ham and cheese, start with the shortcrust pastry: in a mixer, pour the flour and a pinch of salt 1. Add the cold butter cut into pieces 2, then pour the cold water 3.

Activate the mixer to quickly knead the ingredients 4, then transfer the mixture to a work surface and knead by hand 5 to create a homogeneous dough ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap 6 and let it rest in the fridge for an hour.

Take the dough ball from the fridge and divide it in half 7. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Roll out the two portions of dough with a rolling pin to a diameter of about 10 inches 8. Wrap the shortcrust pastry sheet around the rolling pin and unroll it over the pan 9.

Prick the base with a fork 10 and spread a first layer of ham 11, then continue with a second layer of sliced cheese 12.

Add a second layer of ham 13 and cheese 14, then finish with a final layer of ham only 15.

Now cover the pie with the second sheet of shortcrust pastry 16. Join the edges of the two sheets and fold them inward 17 to create a sort of cord around the edge 18.

Prick the surface with a fork as well 19. In a bowl, mix milk and egg yolk 20 and brush the pie with this mixture 21.

Bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for an hour 22. After this time, remove from the oven 23 and let your ham and cheese savory pie cool slightly before serving it 34!

Storage

The ham and cheese savory pie can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

It can be frozen after baking.

Tip

For an extra touch of flavor, you can season the shortcrust pastry with aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano, which will give an enveloping aroma to the savory pie.

If you don't like provolone, you can replace it with caciocavallo or fontina, according to your tastes, for an equally delicious variation.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.