We admit it - right now the orto is like a jungle - lots of rain and quite high temperatures have created ideal growth conditions - some plants are weeds - quite a few - but some are actually veggie from last year - still growing strong. One of our real orto heros is the swiss chard - it resows itself, and grows like mad, producing kilos and kilos of succulent green leaves to be used in our kitchen - must admit the swiss chard area of the orto is a bit out of control - so we are constantly trying to develop new recipes for the lovely veggie.
This one came around yesterday - a great way to use the chard and a tasty dish for lunch with a nice crunchy salad - it even keeps well in the frigde and can be reheated the day after - but also great for aperitivo cut into small squares to go with the everlasting Spritz.
Primo sale is a very fresh and unaged cheese - but a mild feta would be great as well.
To get an even flakier crust on your tart, try putting flour in the fridge for an hour before making the pastry.
For the pastry: 375 g flour 1 tsp salt 220 g cold butter, diced 65 ml iced water The filling: 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, sliced 750 g swiss chard leaves, blanched, cooled, squeezed dry and chopped 3 eggs 150 g ricotta 200 g primo sale or feta 50 g parmesan, grated 1 handful fresh oregano, leaves only nut meg, freshly grated seasalt and black peppper | In the bowl of a food processor combine flour and salt, pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. With the machine running, add the iced water in a slow steady stream, just until the dough comes together without being wet or sticky. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface, shape into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least one hour or over night. For the filling start by heating the olive oil in a suitable pan. Saute the onion and garlic on medium to low heat for 15 minutes without taking colour. Add the chopped swiss chard and the oregano and saute for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, add the eggs, ricotta, parmesan, oregano and the diced primo sale and mix well. Stir in the cooled swiss chard mixture and adjust the seasoning with nut meg, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Lightly flour your work surface. Take the pastry from the frige and cut in half. Roll out one half to line the base and side of the tray you want to use. We use a pizza tray meassuring 25x35 cm in size. Line the base and sides with the pastry, then spoon the swiss chard onto the pasty. Roll out your second piece of pastry and cover the filled tart. make sure to close all the sides well by pushing the 2 sheets of pastry together with your finger, removing any overhanging pastry. Make some small holes in the pastry using a small knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy. Let the torta cool for a few minutes before serving. |