Chard and Sausage Pie

FOR THE PASTRY:
In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening or butter till pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. Repeat till all is moistened (you may not need all of the water). Divide dough in half and form each half into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill while preparing the filling, or for up to 24 hours.

FOR THE FILLING:
In a large pot of boiling salted water cook Swiss chard for 3 minutes, or till limp but still bright green. Drain and let cool. Squeeze out excess liquid; set aside in a large mixing bowl. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups chard.)

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook onion in hot oil for 3-5 minutes, or till softened. Add crumbled sausage meat; cook and stir for 7-9 minutes, or till meat is brown. Drain off excess fat. Add onion and sausage mixture to Swiss chard in bowl; mix well.

In a small bowl stir together ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add mixture to Swiss chard.

On a lightly floured surface flatten one ball of dough with hands. Roll dough from center to edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry around a rolling pin. Unroll onto a 9 inch pie plate; ease pastry into pie plate without stretching. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. Roll out remaining dough for top crust. Cut slits in pastry. Place top crust on filling. Trim top crust 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust under bottom crust and crimp edges. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 30 minutes, or till golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.