Layered Vegetable Torte Recipes

VEGETABLE TORTES

Steps:

• Cook potatoes:
• Cover potatoes with cold salted water by 1 inch, then simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare mushrooms as potatoes cook:
• Finely chop mushrooms with shallots and thyme in 2 batches in a food processor. Sauté half of mixture in 2 tablespoons butter with salt and pepper to taste in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine and simmer, stirring, until wine is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then cook remaining mushroom mixture in same manner. Season as needed.
• Make potato filling:
• Drain potatoes in a colander and, when cool enough to handle, peel. Force warm potatoes through food mill into a large bowl. Stir in hot milk, garlic, scallions, remaining 4 tablespoons butter, peas (do not crush), and salt and pepper to taste. Cool to room temperature.
• Broil eggplants:
• Preheat broiler.
• Cut 2 thin lengthwise slices from opposite sides of each eggplant and discard. Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then brush both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange some eggplant slices in 1 layer on rack of a broiler pan and broil in batches 2 to 3 inches from heat, turning once, until just tender and golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Cool cooked eggplant on broiler rack 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Broil remainder in same manner.
• Roast peppers:
• Lay bell peppers on their sides on racks of gas burners and turn flames on high. (Or put peppers on rack of broiler pan about 2 inches from heat.) Roast peppers, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a large bowl and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Peel peppers, discarding skins. Slit peppers lengthwise and open them flat, discarding seeds and ribs. Pat peppers dry.
• Make pastry shells:
• Oil springform pans. Roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 16- by 10 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim edges and halve pastry lengthwise. Line half of side of 1 pan with 1 pastry half, leaving a 1 1/2-inch overhang at top and 1 inch of bottom edge on bottom of pan. Gently press pastry into bottom of pan. Repeat with remaining half sheet of dough so that side of pan is completely lined. Gently press together edges of pastry where they meet. Roll out another pastry sheet into a 14-inch square and cut into a 10-inch round using bottom of springform pan as a guide. (Reserve pastry scraps for another use.) Put round in bottom of pan and press edges to seal. Chill pastry-lined pan while repeating procedure with remaining pan and 2 more pastry sheets.
• Assemble tortes:
• Sprinkle bottoms of pastry shells evenly with bread crumbs. Divide filling ingredients between pastry shells in following manner, seasoning each layer with salt and pressing each layer firmly and evenly into pans: potato mixture, 1 cup cheese (1/2 cup each), eggplant, mushroom mixture (press down firmly on mushrooms with paper towels to remove excess moisture and repeat process until towels are almost dry), roasted peppers, and remaining cup cheese.
• Roll out remaining pastry sheet on lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 16- by 12-inch rectangle, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips with a pizza wheel or a sharp knife. Brush pastry overhang with egg and arrange half of strips in a lattice pattern on top of filling in each torte. Trim strips at edge of pan. Gently press ends of strips into pastry on sides of pans, then roll overhang into inside edge of pan. Brush lattice and rolled edges with egg. Chill tortes 45 minutes.
• Bake tortes:
• Position oven rack in bottom third of oven and cover with a large sheet of foil. Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Bake tortes on foil in oven, rotating pans halfway through baking, until well browned, 45 to 50 minutes (if tortes get too brown, tent edges with foil). Transfer tortes in pans to a rack. Run a sharp knife around inside edges of pans and carefully remove sides of pans. Cool tortes at least 1 hour (to serve warm) and up to 3 hours (to serve at room temperature).

INA GARTEN'S ROASTED VEGETABLE TORTE (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook the zucchini, onions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat for 10 minutes until the zucchini is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Brush the red and yellow peppers and eggplant with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast on a baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes, until soft but not browned.
• In a 6-inch round cake pan, place each vegetable in a single, overlapping layer, sprinkling Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste between each of the layers of vegetables.
• Begin with half of the eggplant, then layer half of the zucchini and onions, then all of the red peppers, then all of the yellow peppers, then the rest of the zucchini and onions, and finally the rest of the eggplant.
• Cover the top of the vegetables with a 6-inch round of parchment paper or waxed paper. Place a 6-inch flat disk (another cake pan or the bottom of a false-bottom tart pan) on top and weight it with a heavy jar. Place on a plate or baking sheet (it will leak) and chill completely.
• Drain the liquids, place on a platter, and serve at room temperature.

ITALIAN VEGETABLE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Rub an 8" springform pan with butter and dust with about 1 Tbs of the Parmesan cheese.
• Remove the woody ends of the asparagus (hold each spear at both ends and bend it gently- it will snap at its natural breaking point).
• Peel off the outer layer of the stems.
• Then cut the asparagus into 1" segments.
• Cook the asparagus stems for 2 minutes in a saucepan of simmering water; then add the tips and cook for 1 minute.
• Drain the asparagus and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil to medium-low in a 10" frypan and cook the onion until soft.
• Increase the heat to medium and add the zucchini.
• Cook until the zucchini is soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
• Then add the garlic and cook for more 1 minute.
• Finally, add the spinach, mix it in, and cook until it is just wilted.
• Take the frypan off the heat, add the asparagus and the basil, mix in, and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Set aside to cool.
• Mix together the ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Add the cheese and egg mixture to the cooled vegetables.
• Mix well and taste for seasoning.
• Grind some sea salt and black pepper to taste.
• Spoon the mixture into the springform pan and scatter with the remaining Parmesan over the top.
• Place in the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and cook for 30 minutes.
• The top should be light golden brown and the mixture still slightly wobbly in the center.
• Let the torte cool for 30 minutes.
• Then put it in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, until the torte has set.
• Serve with a leaf salad.

LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE

Steps:

• In a mixer, or in a food processor, add the flour and rock salt. Begin mixing and add the oil, then slowly add the water until the dough just comes together.
• Knead the dough with your hands for 10 minutes; it will be quite tough.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Sweat onion and garlic in a pan with a little olive oil.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Slice the eggplant into .5 in rounds and slice zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.
• Grill vegetables on a high heat on a barbecue, griddle or in a frying pan.
• Add sugar and vinegar to the tomato sauce and simmer until thick.
• Add the anchovies.
• Take ½ of the dough and roll out to a thickness of approximately 0.2mm.
• The dough will spring back so just keep working it until you get a large circle (approximately 15 inches).
• Place on greaseproof paper onto a baking tray.
• Layer the filling in the center of the dough, leaving approximately 2 inches around the edge for sealing.
• Layer in the order of eggplant, zucchini, prosciutto, tomato sauce, basil leaves, and parmesan.
• Repeat, and finish with a layer of eggplant.
• Roll the remaining dough out to a similar size and lay over the filling.
• Crimp and fold the edges to seal the torta (you can trim the edges a little if you have too much dough), and prick the top a few times with the point of a sharp knife.
• Brush the torta with egg wash.
• Bake at 340ºF for 30-40 minutes.
• Cut into wedges and serve with a green salad.