The first time I made a torta rustica, Mike and I were newly dating (long before he was Dr. B) and we had his mom and my parents over for brunch. I remember pulling it out of the oven and feeling so proud, not because it was complicated, but because it looked like I’d spent hours on this beautiful pie that was actually pretty easy.
If you’ve never had one or made one, a torta rustica is a traditional Italian Easter dish: a savory pie layered with ricotta, spinach, and ham, wrapped in a golden crust. But limiting it to Easter is just sad and so unnecessary! This is a brunch dish, a lunch dish, a grab-a-slice-on-your-way-out-the-door dinner. It’s wonderful at room temperature, which makes it one of the most portable “real” dinners I know of.
You’ll recognize the crust- it’s the same flaky, buttery lupin and almond flour crust from the Mediterranean sheet pan quiche and the zucchini and herb galette. It’s too good not to keep using, and it works beautifully as the crust here. If you’ve had trouble sourcing lupin flour, chickpea flour works as a substitute (it’s lower in protein and fiber and higher in carbs), but it still makes a great tasting crust. If you use a springform pan (do yourself that favor), assembly is easy, and it releases perfectly.
I've kept this one close to tradition with ricotta, spinach, and ham, but made it more substantial with layers of chicken, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and a generous amount of manchego and parmesan, all tucked inside a grain-free, high-protein crust. It's a beautiful meal and a lovely surprise when you slice into it and reveal all of the colorful layers.
This torta rustica is a delicious protein-forward meal. Two chicken breasts, ricotta cheese, manchego, parmesan, and ham layered together mean a serving gives you 35g of complete protein- the kind that stabilizes blood sugar and keeps you full for hours. The lupin flour crust adds roughly 40% protein and meaningful fiber that a traditional pastry crust doesn’t have.
Spinach, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts add fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, folate, and iron. Plant diversity counts toward your 30 plants a week target. Artichoke hearts alone are one of the highest-fiber vegetables you can cook with, and the roasted red peppers contribute more vitamin C per serving than an orange. Manchego and Parmesan provide a calcium boost, and the healthy fat from the butter in the crust slows digestion and helps you absorb the fat soluble vitamins already present in the filling.
Serve it with a simple green salad and a forkful of sauerkraut or kimchi and you’ve got a full plate with protein, fiber, healthy fat, and a ferment.
The complete torta rustica: a protein packed, make ahead savory pie wrapped in the grain free lupin crust from the quiche and galette.
The full recipe with exact measurements, including the ricotta cheese, chicken, and veggie filling that delivers real protein with every slice
The lupin (or chickpea) and almond flour crust — the same one from the Mediterranean quiche and zucchini galette
Step-by-step assembly instructions using a springform pan for clean release.
A full list of swaps: dairy-free, vegetarian, and ingredient-flexible options so it works for your kitchen and your table
My tips for success, including make-ahead instructions, how to store and reheat, and how to serve this for a crowd at room temperature
Serve this for Sunday brunch like Mike and I did 36 years ago, or as a weeknight dinner, or make it the dish you bring when someone says “can you bring something?”🧡
join me in my metabolic kitchen
By Beth Bollinger of Nest Wellness
Grain-free, gluten-free, high protein, nutrient-dense, with dairy-free options
Serves 8 | 9” springform pan
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