Sues Torta Rustica Recipes

TORTA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Mix flour, cornmeal, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat 2 eggs with 3 tablespoons cold water; stir into flour mixture until dough holds together. Add another tablespoon water if needed. Shape 2/3 of the dough into flattened round; repeat with remaining 1/3. Wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until firm enough to roll.
• In another bowl, combine ricotta cheese, crumbled feta, Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, parsley, basil, and oregano until well blended.
• Have an 8 or 9 inch springform pan ready. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of dough into a 15 inch diameter circle. Carefully place in ungreased pan; press lightly against bottom and sides. Trim overhanging dough to 1 inch from pan rim.
• Scatter half of the mozzarella over the bottom of the crust. Next arrange half the ham slices in an even layer. Spread with ricotta cheese mixture, then sprinkle with spinach. Cover with the remaining ham slices. Press down gently to pack layers. Add red peppers in a single layer, and top with the remaining mozzarella. Press down again.
• Roll out remaining dough to 8 or 9 inch circle. Place over filling to cover. Moisten edges, and seal crusts together. Crimp or flute edges. Crust should not extend above pan rim. Beat remaining egg, and brush over the crust. Cut several small vents in top crust for steam to escape.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until crust is deep golden brown and pulls away from sides. Cool in pan on wire rack 45 minutes. Remove pan sides; cool completely. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve at room temperature.

TORTA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Place drained artichoke hearts and roasted red sweet peppers on paper towels; set aside to drain while preparing filling.
• For filling, in a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; cook about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add spinach; cook for 2 to 3 minutes more or until liquid is evaporated. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Transfer to a colander. When spinach is cool enough to handle, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, one of the eggs, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Prepare Pastry Dough for Double Crust Pie. Divide pastry dough into two balls, one about one-fourth larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger dough ball into a circle 14 to 15 inches in diameter. Carefully ease dough circle into a 9-inch springform pan. If pastry tears, pat dough against bottom and up the sides of the pan. Roll out the remaining dough ball to a circle 10 inches in diameter; transfer this dough circle to a large plate and refrigerate while layering the torta.
• Spread Classic Pesto Sauce over bottom crust in pan. Spread ricotta mixture over pesto. In a small bowl combine fontina cheese, the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and the flour. Sprinkle half of the fontina mixture over ricotta mixture. Top with layers of salami, roasted peppers, and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle the remaining fontina mixture over artichokes. Fold the edges of the bottom crust onto top of the final fontina layer. Cover torta with the 10-inch dough circle, pressing edges into the pan to seal with the bottom crust.
• In a small bowl combine the remaining one egg and the water. Brush over top crust. Cut decorative steam holes in center of the top crust.
• Bake on middle rack of oven for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown; place a large baking sheet on the rack under the pan to catch any drippings. Cool in pan on wire rack for 2 hours. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie
• In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat with an additional 7 to 9 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Gather mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a ball. On a lightly floured surface use your hands to slightly flatten one portion of dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a 12-inch circle.
• Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate; ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. Trim pastry as directed in individual recipe. Roll the remaining dough into a 12-inch circle. Use the remaining pastry circle as directed in individual recipe. Bake as directed in individual recipe.

SAUSAGE, ROASTED RED PEPPER, AND SPINACH TORTA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8x8 inch baking dish. Place 8 baguette slices in bottom of dish; press 2 baguette slices onto each side.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach, toss until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to strainer; cool. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer to medium bowl.
• Heat same pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage, saute until cooked through, breaking up, about 7 minutes. Mix into spinach; mix in 1 cup cheese and peppers. Spread atop baguette slices in bottom of dish.
• Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in last 4 ingredients. Pour over spinach mixture and stir lightly with fork to distribute evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top.
• Bake torta until puffed up and golden and center is set, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving.

TORTA RUSTICA WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Alternatively, mix together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add butter, working the pieces into the flour with your hands, squeezing and pinching them until the mixture looks like oatmeal.
• Add egg, egg white and lemon zest, and pulse after each addition. If working by hand, whisk together egg, egg white and lemon zest in a separate bowl, then mix into the butter mixture. Slowly add iced wine, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse or mix by hand until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid. The dough should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather and press it into a ball. Divide into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other, and shape into disks. Wrap the disks tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Make the filling: If your ricotta seems watery, put it in a sieve and let it drain while you cook the spinach.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and a large pinch of salt, and continue to cook until spinach is very dry, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. If any liquid accumulates as the spinach sits, pour it out of the bowl (you don't want it to water down the ricotta).
• In a food processor, purée drained ricotta and eggs until just combined and smooth. Add to the bowl with the spinach and fold in mozzarella, pecorino, ham (if using), parsley, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red-pepper flakes and nutmeg. Set aside when rolling out dough (or chill for up to 4 hours).
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry dough disk to a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the pan. Scrape filling into crust and spread evenly. Roll out second pastry disk to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice on top of the filling. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top of the torta with the egg wash.
• Place torta on sheet pan and bake until crust is crisp and brown, and filling is firm, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.