Tiella Recipes

TIELLA

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a glass bowl, coat lightly with about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Mix to coat.
• Trim the ends of the zucchini, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put in a separate bowl. Top with 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a deep 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish (about 9 by 12 inches). Then place about 1/4 cup of tomato puree and spread out to coat the bottom of the pan.
• In zucchini and potato bowls, add 2 tablespoons of garlic each and mix in well with a rubber spatula. Using the potatoes and zucchinis, make a layer in the prepared baking dish, alternating between the potato and zucchini, filling in any gaps with small pieces. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato puree on top, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Top with some of the basil. Repeat the layering of the vegetables, tomato puree, Parmesan, bread crumbs and basil using all the vegetables. Cover the top with the remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan.
• Bake, uncovered, for about 1/2 an hour, then cover for the next 45 minutes of baking, finally uncovering for the last 15 minutes, until tender and bubbling, about 1 1/2 hours total cooking time. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature to allow the dish to settle and deepen in flavor.
• Tiella may be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. Reheat in a low oven, if desired. To serve, cut into squares and carefully lift out of the pan with a spatula.
• Bring 2 large pots of water to a boil. Lower the tomatoes into the water, blanch for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Place blanched tomatoes on a baking sheet, and peel the loosened skins. With a colander over a bowl, squeeze the seeds and innards out of each tomato. Set aside and refrigerate the clear strained liquid for other uses. Slice the peeled tomatoes into 1-inch chunks, and place chunks into blender. Puree thoroughly. Pour into bowl.
• Yield: 10 to 12 cups

TIELLA

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants into thin slices, sprinkle with salt; stand in colander in the sink or over a large bowl for 30 minutes; rinse eggplant well under cold water; pat dry with absorbent paper.
• Preheat the oven to moderate (180°C/350°-375°F/4-5 gas mark.
• Combine the tomato, onion, celery, garlic, chopped oregano and parsley in a medium bowl.
• Using a sharp knife, mandoline or V-slicer, cut the potatoes into thin slices; pat dry with absorbent paper; place half of the potato in a lightly oiled 2-litre (8-cup) baking dish; top with half of the eggplant, half of the tomato mixture, then drizzle with half of the oil; repeat layering with the remaining potato, eggplant, tomato mixture and oil.
• Cover the dish with foil; bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour; remove the foil; bake for a further 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender; sprinkle the tiella with the oregano leaves and serve.
• Notes: One Australian metric tablespoon holds 20ml; North America, New Zealand and the UK use 15ml tablespoons. All cup and spoon measurements are level. Desiree potatoes are long and oval, with a smooth pink skin and creamy yellow flesh; sebago potatoes are round with white skin, shallow eyes and white flesh; spunta potatoes are large and oblong with cream skin and yellow flesh: all are classified as good for baking.

NONNA LISA'S TIELLA

Steps:

• To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and let it sit for several minutes.
• Put the flours, salt, and sugar in the bowl of the food processor, and run the machine for a few seconds to blend the dry ingredients.
• Stir the active yeast together with the cool water and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a spouted measuring cup. With the food processor running, pour all the liquid into the flours, and continue processing for 30 seconds or so. A soft dough should gather on the blade and clean the sides of the bowl. If the sides are not clear, incorporate more flour, a tablespoon at a time, to stiffen the dough. If the dough is very stiff, work in more cool water in small amounts. (You can also use a heavy-duty electric mixer to form the dough, or do it by hand.)
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead by hand briefly to form a smooth round. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Deflate the dough when doubled, knead it briefly, and return to the bowl for a second rise. If you like, refrigerate the dough, sealed airtight, for up to a day (deflate and knead it whenever it doubles).
• When your filling is prepared and you are ready to bake the tiella, heat the oven to 375˚. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and put the baking stone on it, if using. Brush the bottom and sides of the skillet or baking pan lightly with olive oil.
• Deflate the dough, knead it briefly to form a round again, and cut off a third of the dough for the top crust of the tiella. The larger, two-thirds piece will be the bottom crust. Let the dough relax (especially if it has been chilled) before rolling.
• On a floured surface, roll out the big piece of dough to a 14-inch round. Transfer the round to the skillet or baking pan, centered and lying flat on the bottom and sides. Trim the top edge of the dough neatly so it is an even height, about 1 1/2 inches, up the sides all around.
• Scrape the cooled escarole or octopus filling into the bottom crust, and spread it in an even layer, slightly compressed. The escarole filling makes a thinner layer than the octopus, but with either, the bottom crust should extend at least 1/2 inch above the filling all around.
• Roll out the smaller piece of dough to a 12-inch round and trim it into a neat circle that is a bit larger than the layer of filling-use a ruler to get the right dimensions. Center the circle, and lay it on top of the filling. Pinch together the overlapping edges of the bottom and top crusts all around. Fold this wide flap of dough inward, and press it down and against the pan sides all around. Make uniform indentations with your fingertips, to seal the tiella tightly and create a decorative rim of dough at the same time.
• With the tip of a sharp knife, pierce the top crust all over with a dozen or so small slits. Finally, brush the remaining extra-virgin olive oil all over the tiella, including the border of crust.
• Bake the tiella, on the heated stone if you have one, for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Cool it on a rack for at least an hour in the skillet. Invert and remove the tiella if you want, or leave it in the pan for serving. Cut wedges, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
• Nonna Lisa's Tiella Filling of Escarole, Olives, and Capers
• Trim off the base of the escarole, separate the leaves, and discard any that are wilted or blemished. Rinse and drain the leaves, and chop them into shreds about an inch wide.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil in the big skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, until sizzling, then pile in all the escarole, and tumble the shreds over and over with tongs, over high heat. Scatter the capers and olives on top, season with the salt and peperoncino, and toss. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan, and cover tightly.
• Steam the escarole for about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the moisture has been cooked off and the filling is condensed and fairly dry, about 20 minutes more. Near the end of cooking, drizzle over it the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss.
• Cool the filling before assembling the tiella.
• Nonna Lisa's Tiella Filling of Octopus, Garlic, and Oil
• Defrost the octopus, and put it in a big pot with several inches of water to cover. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and cook at a bubbling simmer for about 35 minutes, or until the octopus is tender but al dente. You should be able to pierce the flesh with a big meat-fork but still feel a bit of resistance when you withdraw it. The skin of the octopus should still be largely intact-not broken and peeling off, which indicates overcooking. Let it cool in the cooking water, then drain well and cut it up into 3/4-inch pieces. Rinse, core, and seed the plum tomatoes, and cut into 1/3-inch dice.
• Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, set it over medium heat, and stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute, until sizzling, then add the octopus pieces and toss them in the oil. Scatter the olives in the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring and tossing; sprinkle in the peperoncino. When the octopus is sizzling, toss in the diced tomatoes, and season with the salt.
• Cook at the simmer, stirring frequently, for another 10 minutes or so, until the filling is dense and glistening, with no liquid left in the pan. Toss in the parsley, and cool the filling before assembling the tiella.