Torta Salata Recipes

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.

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:

• Preheat oven to 370 degrees F (180 C).
• Prepare the farro: Wash it well, picking out impurities such as bits of chaff, pebbles, or bad grains. In a medium saucepan, combine the farro with about 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt, then turn heat to high and bring it all to a boil.
• When it has come to a boil, reduce the temperature to medium low, cover, and let simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat, drain mixture well, then pour it all into a large ceramic or porcelain bowl and set aside to let cool.
• When cooled, combine it with the remaining ingredients except the butter and the bread crumbs.
• Use the butter and bread crumbs to lightly grease and coat a 9-inch pan, pour the farro mixture into it, and bake it in a 370 F (180C) oven for about 40 minutes.
• This will work well as a second course, with a tossed salad.
• Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' method of cooking farro and from a recipe in Luciano Migliolli's "Il Farro e le sue Ricette." Farro: Grain of the Legions Grano Farro has a long and glorious history - it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in plus, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor.

Steps:

• Mix together all ingredients for dough and work into a semi-firm ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature. While dough is resting, make the filling. Char the chile poblano over a gas flame, turning with tongs until all sides are charred, about 5 minutes. Place chile in a plastic or paper bag and close tightly. Let sit for 15 minutes, then remove chile from bag and wipe off charred skin. Open chile and discard seeds and stem. Place the chile and evaporated milk in a blender and blend into a creamy mixture. Add a dash of salt and pepper, parmesan cheese and eggs into the blender and blend for 15 to 30 seconds. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F, make the filling. Heat the oil in a large saute pan with the 2 garlic cloves. When the oil is very hot, add the sliced zucchini. Saute until zucchini begins browning on all sides. Chop the zucchini blossoms and add to the pan. Add the basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Mix together quickly. Mix in a couple tablespoons of water and remove from heat. Set aside. Flatten the wrapped dough somewhat with a rolling pin. Remove plastic wrap. Roll out the dough into a 15 inch round. Form the dough into a crust in an ungreased 9-inch round cake pan with removable bottom. Make several punctures in dough with a fork. Assemble the torta by layering 1st with the zucchini mixture, then the slices of scamorza or fontina, then finally the cream mixture. Bake the torta at 425 F for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 40 minutes more. Remove torta from oven and let rest for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove side from pan and slice torta then serve.