Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry (usually sold frozen in a 2-pack), defrosted

10 Ozs Italian sausage (pork or chicken)

2 medium zucchini, diced small

10 ozs sliced fresh mushrooms

1 lb ricotta

1/3 cup grated cheese, plus more for the itop

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella

2 TBSPs olive oil

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 390F.

Remove sausage meat from casings.

Place olive oil in large sauté pan.

Add crumbled sausage meat.

Sauté on medium heat until lightly browned, stirring often.

Add diced zucchini and mushrooms.

Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.

Stir, cover and continue to sauté until vegetables are soft.

Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare the pastry lining.

Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.

Roll pastry in all directions with a rolling pin.

You want to achieve a square big enough to be able to line a 10” round baking pan, plus a little extra to form a lip border.

Spray pan with baking spray.

Line evenly with puff pastry.

Gently prick the bottom with a fork.

Now, we go back to the filling.

Add ricotta, mozzarella and grated cheese to previously cooked filling.

Adjust seasoning if needed. Mix well.

Place filling in prepared pastry.

Spread evenly.

Add a sprinkle of grated cheese over filling.

Fold extra pastry over the edges to make a border.

Bake in hot oven for 30 minutes.

It should have a golden color. If not, bake a few minutes more.

Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

TIPS:

If you want to make this pie vegetarian, omit the sausage and add extra vegetables to make up the difference.

You may use any combination of vegetables in this pie: chopped broccoli, peas, leeks, etc. Keep the mushrooms in the recipe for their “meatiness” that they bring to the pie.

You can also substitute the cheese in this pie if you want a stronger cheese flavor. Mozzarella is mild but you can add provolone, fontina, Asiago or Swiss.