Spinach Torta Recipes

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.

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.

Steps:

• Roll three-quarters of the pastry into a 15x19 rectangle. Fit the pastry in an oiled half sheet pan. Shape a lip around the edge and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add spinach and then almost immediately remove to a bowl of ice water. Drain and chop.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add red onion. Allow to cook until soft. About 5 min. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 min.
• Beat egg in a large bowl. Beat in ricotta. Stir in the spinach, onions, cheeses and seasonings.
• Spread over the pastry dough. Lattice the remaining pastry dough and brush with egg wash.
• Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden.
• For the pastry dough - dissolve yeast in water and then add sugar. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes or until creamy.
• Beat in egg and olive oil.
• Combine flours and salt and then stir into the yeast mixture. I do this by hand with bowl and a wooden spoon. If you have a mixer use the paddle. Work the dough until it's a cohesive mass, add flour as you need to.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Be careful to not overwork the dough.
• Shape into a ball and place into a lightly oiled glass bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for about one hour or until doubled in size.
• On a lightly floured surface gently knead the dough a couple of times and then cut into 2 pieces. Cover loosely and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Roll-out according to your recipe needs.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Position rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325°; lightly oil a 13x9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Tilt dish to coat with the crumbs, and tap out the excess.
• Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat; add in the rice and decrease heat to medium.
• Cook, uncovered, until the rice is tender (about 16 minutes); drain well and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add in the onions.
• Stir/saute 6 minutes or until the onions are tender.
• Add in the garlic; stir until it gives off its aroma, about 1 minute.
• Add in the spinach; cook, stirring often, just to evaporate any remaining liquid, about 3 minutes; set mixture aside.
• In a big bowl, whisk the eggs, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper together; add in the rice, spinach/onion mixture, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, and the cheddar cheese; mix well.
• Spread mixture in the baking dish; sprinkle remaining parmesan on top.
• Bake until the torta feels firm when pressed in the center, about 45 minutes.
• Cool completely in the dish; cut the torta horizontally into 6 equal strips, then vertically into 9 strips to make 54 pieces.
• Arrange on a serving platter; serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Peel and thinly slice potatoes and onions; it's easiest if you use a mandoline. Meanwhile, heat oil in an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. After 3 or 4 minutes, drop in a potato slice. When tiny bubbles appear around its edges, add potatoes, onions, a good pinch of salt and a liberal sprinkling of pepper. Gently turn mixture in oil with a wooden spoon, and adjust heat so oil bubbles lazily.
• Cook, turning potatoes gently every few minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a small knife. Adjust the heat so they do not brown. If potatoes begin to break, they are overdone; stop cooking immediately. As potatoes cook, beat eggs with some salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• Drain potatoes in a colander, reserving oil. Wipe out skillet, and heat over a medium flame for a minute. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Gently mix warm potatoes with eggs, and add to skillet. As soon as edges firm up, after a minute or so, reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes.
• Insert a rubber spatula all around edges of tortilla to make sure it will slide from pan. The top will still be runny. Carefully slide out onto a plate. Cover with another plate, and holding plates tightly, invert them. Add another tablespoon oil to skillet, and use the spatula to coax tortilla back in. Cook 5 minutes, then slide from skillet onto a clean plate. Serve warm (not hot), or at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Grease or spray 9-inch springform pan. In medium bowl, mash beans with potato masher until almost smooth. Stir in Bisquick mix and dressing. Spread mixture in bottom and up sides of springform pan.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 7 to 9 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Remove from heat, and stir in spinach, tomatoes, oregano and 1 cup of the cheese; mix well. Spoon mixture over prebaked crust.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and cream with whisk until light. Pour over sausage mixture.
• Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown, center is firm, and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Loosen edge of torta from side of pan; remove side of pan. Cut into 6 wedges.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Spray a 9-in round cake pan with cooking spray.
• Put the spinach in a large microwavable bowl; cover with plastic wrap and prick several holes in the plastic.
• Microwave on high until the spinach starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Let stand until the spinach wilts completely, about 5 minutes.
• Uncover and let cool.
• Squeeze the spinach to remove the excess liquid; chop coarsely.
• Meanwhile, put the eggs, egg white, cheese, milk, cilantro or parsley (if using), salt, and ground pepper in a bowl, beating with a whisk to combine.
• To assemble the torta, place 1 tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Layer with half the spinach, 1 tortilla, then the roasted peppers.
• Top with 1 tortilla and the remaining spinach and tortilla. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
• Bake about 20 minutes or until firm.
• Remove the torta from the oven and increase the heat to broil.
• Broil 5 inches from heat until just browned on the top, about 1 minute.
• Let stand 5 minutes before inverting the torta on a cutting board and slicing into 4 wedges.