Italian recipe for ham and cheese pie

In Italian bars, you can always keep an eye out for savory breakfast options. If you’re lucky, there could be pastry pieces with warm tomato, ham, and cheese available.

Do get high-quality, flavorful ham. It is entirely up to you whether it is smoked or not.

Ingredients

2 sheets of 35 by 23 cm (14 by 9 in) all-butter puff pastry
125 g fresh tomato passata or homemade tomato sauce
150 g of finely grated Gruyère or Cheddar
150 g of cooked, thinly sliced smoked or unsmoked ham
Beat one egg with a dash of salt and sugar.
2 sheets of 35 by 23 cm (14 by 9 in) all-butter puff pastry
4.4 ounces of fresh tomato passata or homemade tomato sauce
5.3 oz. of finely shredded Gruyère or Cheddar

5.3 oz. cooked, thinly-sliced, smoked or unsmoked ham; 1 egg; and a sprinkle of salt and sugar.
2 sheets of 35 by 23 cm (14 by 9 in) all-butter puff pastry
4.4 ounces of fresh tomato passata or homemade tomato sauce
5.3 oz. of finely shredded Gruyère or Cheddar
5.3 oz. cooked, thinly-sliced, smoked or unsmoked ham; 1 egg; and a sprinkle of salt and sugar.

Step-by-step
Set the oven’s temperature to 200 °C (400 °F/Gas 6).
Stretch out the first piece of pastry once it has been unwrapped onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Spread the tomato sauce over it, leaving a border of 2 cm (34 in) all the way around. If you’re using passata, which is often unseasoned, season as needed with salt and pepper.
Spread the cheese out now, then the ham, all while maintaining the distinct boundary.
To create a diamond-shaped design, place the second sheet of pastry on a lightly dusted surface and score shallow diagonal slashes all over it. Over the first sheet, place the scored pastry.
Push the two pastry layers together around the borders with your fingertips, and then seal with the fork’s tines to create tiny lines all the way around the perimeter.

Apply a thin coating of the seasoned beaten egg on the top (this will make it more golden). Save the remaining egg for another time. To let the air out of the pastry, create about 10 tiny holes with the point of a sharp knife.
After 10 minutes of cooling off in the refrigerator or another cool environment, give the pie another egg wash.
After 20 minutes of baking, or until golden brown, reduce the heat to 170°C (340°F/Gas 3) and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Before serving, take the dish out of the oven and let it cool for a while. Eating it at room temperature is also a good idea.