Spinach Torte Recipes

SPINACH TORTA RUSTICA

Steps:

• To prepare the torta dough, sprinkle yeast over warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add honey and let stand for 5 minutes. Mix in salt and 1/2 cup flour. Beat for about 3 minutes on medium speed.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough. Beat in butter, one tablespoon at a time.
• Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place till doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Make filling while the dough rises. To make the filling, saute onion in olive oil till soft and lightly browned. Stir in garlic and cook for less than a minute. Mix in spinach and remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolk. Mix in ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach mixture.
• Punch down risen dough. Divide into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. On a floured surface, roll larger piece into an 8-inch circle. Fit into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan.
• Spread evenly with filling. Roll the rest of the dough into a 9-inch square.
• Cut the square into 9 or 10 strips. Weave strips over the top of the filling to make a lattice pattern. Tuck the ends of the dough down around the filling.
• Preheat oven to 375º. Let torta rise for 15-20 minutes till dough puffs up slightly. Brush top of the dough with an egg beaten with water. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, till browned. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove rim. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SPINACH TORTA

Steps:

• 1. Thaw, drain and squeeze the spinach well to remove any liquid. Place in a large bowl.
• 2. Saute onions in a large skillet in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent - approximately 15 minutes.
• 3. Add the parmesan cheese, softened cream cheese, eggs, bread crumbs and salt and pepper to the spinach. Mix well.
• 4. Add the spinach mixture to the onions and mix well.
• 5. Roll out one of the pie crusts and place into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Fill with the spinach mixture.
• 6. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top of casserole. Prick the top pie crust with a fork and brush with a little oil.
• 7. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool around 10 minutes or so before cutting into squares. Can serve at room temperature.

MUSHROOM, SPINACH AND CHEESE TORTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Saute onion and garlic in oil in large saucepan until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and spinach and continue cooking until mushrooms have released their juices and spinach has wilted. Continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Add ricotta and parmesan, sour cream, bread crumbs and parsley to eggs. Drain excess liquid from vegetables, then add to cheese mixture. Stir until well blended.
• Brush some of melted butter on large baking sheet. Count out 6 phyllo leaves and carefully lift them up and lay flat on buttered baking sheet.
• Spread filling over middle of leaves, leaving a 3 inch border all around. Brush edges with butter.
• On top of the filling, lay down 2 leaves of phyllo at a time, brushing top leaf with butter each time. After 4 pairs, fold corners of all phyllo leaves up over filling, and brush with butter.
• Lay down 2 more pairs of leaves, buttering top leaf of each pair. Tuck edges under torta, corners first, then sides. Sprinkle top with sesame or poppy seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until filling is set and phyllo is crisp and golden. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

SPINACH, CHEESE & ONION RICE TORTE

Steps:

• Wash the spinach and put it in a large saucepan with just the water that clings to its leaves. Heat for 1-2 mins until gently wilted, then tip into a colander and allow to cool. Once cool, squeeze out the excess water and chop finely.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min more. Tip into a bowl, add the spinach, courgettes, rice and cheese, and toss together.
• Beat the 2 large eggs with the mustard, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Add to the spinach mixture and mix well. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Cut the pastry in half and roll 1 piece out on a lightly floured work surface until you have a sheet that measures 32 x 17cm. Place in a 30 x 15cm tin and prick it well all over the base. Roll out the remaining piece of pastry to the same size.
• Spoon the spinach mixture into the pastry base. Beat together the milk and remaining medium egg, then brush the edges of the pastry with it. Lay the other sheet of pastry over the top and press down gently to seal. Brush the top with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Place the tin on the preheated baking tray and bake for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas 4 and bake for a further 30 mins until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins before cutting into squares.

SPINACH TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 400°F.
• Heat oil in skillet large enough to hold spinach.
• Saute garlic and onion in skillet over medium heat until golden.
• Add spinach to pan and stir over medium heat until spinach is reduced and cooked.
• Drain in colander.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs until frothy.
• Add to spinach mixture. crush dill between fingers and add to spinach and egg mixture. Cool.
• In a small saucepan,melt butter.
• Prepare Phyllo as per directions on box (defrost 8 hours at room temperature before use). Separate three sheets of Phyllo dough and place on counter.Using a pastry brush,sparingly coat top layer with butter.
• Sprinkle with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.Separate three more sheets of Phyllo on top of the first layer.
• Again, lightly brush with melted butter.Sprinkle with bread crumbs.Continue six times, or until you have counted a total of 18 layers of Phyllo.
• Evenly spread out spinach mixture onto the top.
• Starting with the long end, roll up as a jelly roll, keeping it as tight as you can.
• Place on buttered baking sheet seam side down.
• Bake immediately in oven 25 minutes.
• To serve, slice in one inch interval diagonally.

ITALIAN BRUNCH TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Unroll 1 tube of crescent dough and separate into triangles. Press onto bottom of prepared pan to form a crust, sealing seams well. Bake until set, 10-15 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and mushrooms; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender. Drain on several layers of paper towels, blotting well. In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper., Layer crust with half of each of the following: ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers and spinach mixture. Pour half of the egg mixture over top. Repeat layers; top with remaining egg mixture., On a work surface, unroll and separate remaining crescent dough into triangles. Press together to form a circle and seal seams; place over filling. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough., Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 1 to 1-1/4 hours, covering loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning. Carefully loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Let stand 20 minutes.

SPINACH-CHEESE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Crush 20 crackers; mix with butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand remaining whole crackers around inside edge of pan.
• Beat cream cheese and sour cream in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into crust.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until top is puffed and center is set. Cool slightly. Refrigerate leftovers.

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.