TORTA RUSTICA

A very impressive party sandwich, perhaps the mother of the New Orleans Muffaletta

Here’s a video in Italian that shows some of the basics although the construct is simpler then the below recipe

 

Kind of a calzone or a stromboli, that can have cured meats, fish, vegetables or just about anything else you’ve got served cold after it initial bake in the oven.  It usually contains cheese of various varieties and can be served  warm  room temperature or chilled. You will need a spring form pan to pull this off, but it’s pretty impressive when you slice it into wedges.  Remember to start and finish with the “green” to seal the construct.

Two frozen pie shells or an equivalent amount of your own crust or puff paste dough

2 pounds+ frozen spinach or braised kale or mustard greens

1 pound+ ricotta or cottage cheese

6 ounces parmesan

6 each eggs, whole

4 ounces each Mortadella, salami, ham, sliced thin

8 ounces eggplant, sliced thin – optional

1 jar roasted red peppers – optional

1 jar giardiniera, pickled vegetables – diced, optional

5 ounces mozzarella, sliced or Swiss, brie

4 ounces pesto, store bought or your own  – optional

To taste herbs, olive oil, & garlic

To taste chicken stock, granulated

 

1.  Spray the interior of a 8’’ spring pan

2.  Combine frozen shells if using, or roll out  own dough to completely cover the pan leaving with a 2” boarder

3.  Combine the spinach, kale, or mustard greens with three eggs, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg & base

4.  Combine the ricotta, parmesan, three eggs, garlic, a pinch oregano and granulated base

5.  Line the bottom of the mold with HALF the spinach, then half the ricotta

6.  Now alternate the color and type of ingredients to whim

7.  Finish with a layer of spinach

8.  Fold dough over the top using egg wash to seal

9.  Bake 45 minutes @ 375, cool to room temperature or refrigerate, unmold, slice into wedges