Alison Lambert -taste of my life

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RICOTTA AND GREEN TORTE (torta pasqualina)

This torte is served throughout Italy, some make it with their own pastry, some use puff, some use short but i am using filo pastry as it saves a lot of time and the end result is light and crispy.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 350g pkt filo pastry

Olive oil

Filling

1 kg greens - silverbeet, kale, spinach

1 onion, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp oil

Sea salt flakes

Cracked pepper

1 Tbsp chopped fresh marjoram leaves

8 eggs

100g parmesan cheese, grated

250g ricotta

Pinch nutmeg

23-25 cm diameter removable bottom cake tin.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.

Remove all stalks from the greens and discard and wash the leaves well.  When the water is boiling plunge the leaves in and cook for 3 -4 minutes, drain, cool and squeeze out all excess water.  Roughly chop and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons oil in fry pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes add the greens, marjoram and cook for a further 2 minutes, season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled add 2 eggs and 30g parmesan cheese.  Mix to combine.

Mix the ricotta with 2 eggs, 50g of grated parmesan cheese, add a pinch of nutmeg and season lightly.  Stir well to combine.

Lightly grease the tin with olive oil.

Layer the base and sides of the tin with filo pastry, brushing with oil between every layer. I used the whole packet of filo pastry so the sides and base are generously covered, allowing the filo pastry to overhang over the sides.

Add the greens and spread evenly over the base.

Now add the ricotta mix and spread evenly.

Separate the 4 remaining eggs adding the whole egg yolks evenly onto the top of the ricotta.

Using a fork lightly beat the egg whites and pour over the ricotta mix, sprinkle over remaining parmesan cheese and roughly fold over any filo pastry which is overhanging.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the filling has set and the pastry is golden.

Cool before cutting.