Page 256 - Pie Squared

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (60 g) basil leaves, stacked and sliced into ribbons

1 (8-ounce) jar roasted peppers (225 g), drained and sliced into ribbons

4 ounces (113 g) grated shaved Parmigiano Reggiano (about ½ cup)

For the crust: In the food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and
salt until the butter is in small pieces coated with flour, about 15
times. Add the ice water all at once and process until the mixture

almost forms a ball. Form the dough into a 3- by 4-inch rectangle
using plastic wrap and a bench scraper to firmly press the dough into
a cohesive form. Wrap tightly and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours.
Heat the oven to 400°F; if you have one, place a baking stone,
Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the center rack to heat

(see here). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to
warm slightly. Roll out to 11 by 15 inches and place in the slab pie
pan, pressing it into the corners of the pan and allowing the excess

to drape over the sides. Refrigerate. Dock the surface of the dough
and crimp the edges. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Blind bake
the crust (on top of the steel, stone, or baking sheet if using) for 20
minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F.
For the filling: If using fresh spinach, place in a microwavable

bowl and sprinkle ½ teaspoon water over the top. Cover and
microwave for 1 minute. Let the spinach cool for a few minutes.
Squeeze out as much water from the cooked spinach or thawed

frozen spinach as you can using your hands or pressing the cooked
leaves against the sides of a colander with a stiff spoon or spatula.
Chop roughly.
Heat a large, wide, straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add
the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat until the pink is gone,

just 4 or 5 minutes. Remove the sausage using a slotted spoon and
set aside. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan,
add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add

the garlic and cook until fragrant but not burned, about 30 seconds.
Add the sausage back to the pan, then add the tomatoes, salt, and