TORTA DI ERBE
This is a mash-up of the filling of our Italian photographer’s mother-in-law’s classic Roman torta di erbe and the dough of a pizzaish Ligurian flatbread called focaccia di Recco. The result is a compulsively eatable and respectably veggie-filled pizzetta that you will likely consume while it’s still mouth-scorchingly hot. If you swapped out the Swiss chard filling for a scant layer of stracchino cheese, you’d have the real Ligurian deal, though it would be absent of power vegetables. And if you could pry the recipe for Gabriele’s wife’s mom’s torta dough out of her, you’d be a better man than me.
MAKES 1 LARGE PIE (4 TO 6 SERVINGS)
OLIVE OIL DOUGH
⅓ C water
¼ C olive oil
1 t kosher salt
1½ C bread flour
Filling
4 lb Swiss chard (3 to 4 large bunches), stemmed
+ kosher salt
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
+ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 C finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Make the dough: Stir together the water, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl to dissolve the salt. Add ½ cup of the flour and stir with a fork until smooth. Add the remaining flour in three additions, mixing until fully incorporated. Once the dough becomes too stiff to stir, clean off the fork and knead the mixture into a ball. Transfer to a clean, dry surface and continue kneading until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
2 Make the filling: Blanch the chard in a large pot of boiling, salted water, working in batches if necessary, until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove the chard from the water and shock in an ice-water bath. When cool, squeeze the chard with your hands to release its liquid and finely chop. Wrap the chopped chard in a clean kitchen towel and twist from opposite ends to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. (All this squeezing action ensures the torta won’t be soggy.) There should be about 1¼ cups of properly dried chard.
3 Place a pizza stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and heat to 500°F.
4 Assemble: Place the chard in a medium bowl and dress with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmigiano and toss the greens as if dressing a salad, coating each leaf with the seasonings.
5 Slick a 10- to 12-inch metal pie plate with a little olive oil. Unwrap the dough and cut the ball in half. Stretch one ball of the dough with your hands, as you would for a pizza, until it is translucent and at least an inch larger than the diameter of the pie plate. Lay the dough into the plate, making sure there is a generous overhang. Scatter the greens over the dough, then stretch the second ball as the first and drape it over the top. Tear a few small holes in several places to allow steam to vent. Press the edges together and trim around the edge of the pan to remove the overhang of dough. Drizzle the top of the dough with a few more drops of oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
6 Bake the torta on the pizza stone until crisp and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into wedges with scissors.
TOMATO PIE
This is probably the Paula Deeniest recipe I’ve ever published, though, to invoke a domestic doyenne I am more simpatico with, I think It’s a Good Thing. The tomatoes are a front: Though central and titular, they are there to provide lift, lightness, and acidity to a rally of baked mayonnaise and cheese. A couple of real-life Southerners who tasted our rendition of this dish objected to the prominence given to fresh dill in the final mix, but for me the blast of fresh herb flavor makes this like eating a salad out of a buttery crust at a gas station. And I mean that in the best possible way.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 T cornmeal
2 lb tomatoes
2 t kosher salt
½ C mayonnaise
¼ C chopped scallions or chives
2 T chopped fresh dill
½ t freshly ground black pepper
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1 Heat the oven to 400°F.
2 Unroll the puff pastry and fit it into a deep 10-inch pie plate (deeper, say, than one of the disposable kind you’d make an ice cream pie in) or a 2-quart gratin dish. Press the dough against the edges (and/or into the corners) and trim the excess, leaving a ½-inch overhang above the lip of the dish. Sprinkle the cornmeal on the puff pastry and pop in the fridge to chill while you prepare the tomatoes. (The cornmeal helps soak up liquid and keeps the pastry from turning to mush.)
3 Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Core and slice the tomatoes crosswise into ½-inch rounds. Lay them in a single layer on the paper towels and sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 10 minutes, then blot with paper towels.
4 Meanwhile, blend the mayonnaise with the scallions, dill, and pepper.
5 Build your pie: Arrange half of the tomato slices in a shingled layer in the pie dish. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the tomatoes, filling the nooks and crannies, and top with the remaining tomatoes, arranging in a fashion that pleases the eye. Sprinkle with the cheddar and bake until the pie puffs up in the center, the filling is bubbling, and the cheese is browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving—I think it tastes best cooled to room temperature.
QUICHE LORRAINE
There was a bestselling satirical book called Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche that came out when I was a kid. I have no idea what the book was like, but I know its only real cultural legacy was stigmatizing quiche. But look at this recipe—cheese and eggs and a buttery crust, with shiitakes standing in for bacon—and tell me there’s any daytime pastry more butch than quiche! Lorraine, the version here, calls on the undeniable power of caramelized onions, but you could easily swap them out for some broccoli and peas and call it a garden quiche!
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
SHIITAKE BACON
8 oz sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 T soy sauce
+ neutral oil
QUICHE CRUST
1½ C all-purpose flour (7 oz), plus more as needed
½ t baking powder
½ t kosher salt
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
FILLING
2 T unsalted butter
1½ lb yellow or white onions
+ kosher salt
3 eggs
1 C half-and-half
+ freshly ground black pepper
+ nutmeg
1 C grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 Make the shiitake bacon: Heat the oven to 350°F. Toss the shiitakes with the soy sauce in a bowl until evenly coated. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and scatter the mushrooms in a single layer. Bake the shiitakes for 35 to 40 minutes, tossing occasionally so the mushrooms dehydrate evenly. When the mushrooms have shrunk by about half and are crispy-chewy, remove and let cool. (The shiitake bacon will continue to crisp a bit after it is removed from the oven; if you roast until completely crispy, the ’shrooms might burn.) Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
2 Make the crust: Pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter in a food processor until the butter is broken down into small pebbles. Drizzle in 3 to 4 tablespoons water, and pulse just until the mixture begins to come together. Dump onto a lightly floured work surface and fold and press until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
3 Heat the oven to 400°F. Roll out the dough to an 11- or 12-inch circle and fit into a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Press the dough into the corners, creating a 2-inch-high side. Dock the dough with a fork. Lay a piece of parchment over the dough and fill the pan with baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the beans and parchment paper, and continue baking until crust is firm and tan colored, another 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
4 Make the filling: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Fold them over in the fat, season lightly with salt, and cover with a lid. Cook, folding occasionally, until they are wilted from the steam. Remove the lid and continue cooking until they are a light, even caramel color and completely translucent, another 20 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a bowl. Discard any remaining fat in the pan.
5 Whisk the eggs and half-and-half in a bowl and season generously with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
6 Build the quiche: Fold the shiitake bacon into the onions, and dump the mixture into the cooled crust. Spread into an even layer, and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the filling, stopping if the egg threatens to leak over the top of the crust. Bake until the quiche is golden brown and the custard is set, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
TEX-MEX SHEPHERD’S PIE (NO SHEEP)
Almost south of the border, almost a shepherd’s pie: This is a faux Tex-Mex artifact that your average extraterrestrial would guess was the real deal. What’s it got to offer? Dinner, in an hour, that’s filling enough to make a cowhand happy. You can make it with your favorite cornbread recipe, but the masa harina is the clincher in making the hybrid biscuit-tamale crust!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
FILLING
2 T neutral oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped
+ kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium zucchini, diced
2 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
2 t dried oregano
2 t smoked paprika (pimentón)
½ t ground coriander
+ pinch of ground cinnamon
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 C water
TAMALE TOPPING
2 C masa harina
2 C water
½ C vegetable shortening or 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
2 t baking powder
2 t kosher salt
1 Make the filling: Heat the oil in a heavy, medium pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, jalapeños, onion, and a pinch of salt and cook until the edges of the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, coriander, and cinnamon and stir. Add the tomatoes, beans, and water and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes.
2 Make the tamale topping: Heat the oven to 350°F. Mix the masa harina with the water in a medium bowl. The mixture will be approximately the texture of Play-Doh.
3 Combine the shortening, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whip until it is light and fluffy. Add the masa dough in three additions, whipping to fully incorporate between additions.
4 Remove the chili from the heat and pour the chili into a large baking dish or cast iron pan. There should be at least ¾ inch of room at the top.
5 Spread the tamale topping over the chili, smoothing it evenly to the edges of the pan. Set on a baking sheet and transfer to the hot oven. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and set, about 1 hour. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
RAJAS EMPANADAS
The world of vegetable pies includes three types: your iconic pie-dish pies (like Tomato Pie); things in the pizza pie family, which are only called pies because calling pizzas “pies” is a linguistic affectation of the East Coast that is useful for us to appropriate here; and the hand pie—like a Jamaican patty or the handiwork of Fruit Pie the Magician, but with vegetables instead of “apples” and corn syrup. The empanada, most traditionally deep-fried in a crust made with lard, falls into the third category.
Here we use butter in the crust, bake our empanadas, and fill them with a version of Mexican rajas—poblano peppers cut and cooked into “rags.” Serve them at your next poolside margarita fund-raiser for the neighborhood watch committee or take them on picnics.
MAKES 12 EMPANADAS
EMPANADA DOUGH
2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 t kosher salt
1 stick (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
1 egg, beaten
⅓ C water
Rajas Filling
3 poblano peppers
2 T neutral oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 T chopped garlic
1 t dried oregano
½ t ground cumin
+ kosher salt
¼ C sour cream
ASSEMBLY
1 egg, beaten
1 Make the empanada dough: Combine the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Add the egg and water and pulse until the mixture is moist throughout, about 15 pulses. Gather the dough and pat it into a large disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
2 Make the rajas filling: Roast the poblanos directly over a gas or charcoal flame or under a hot broiler, turning with tongs so the skin chars and puffs evenly. When the peppers are blackened all around but still meaty and juicy, place them in a deep bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The plastic will puff and then relax as the peppers steam and then cool. Once the concave film shows a clear layer of condensation, remove the peppers. Working over the bowl, rub away the skins with a dry paper towel, then remove the stem and slice the pepper in half. Remove the seeds. Cut the poblanos into ¼-inch-wide strips. There should be about 1 cup of strips.
3 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they’ve softened and gone completely limp, about 8 minutes. Fold in the poblanos and cook for another 3 minutes or so to let the flavors commingle. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and cumin and season with salt. Continue cooking until the garlic is soft and the rajas are a unified aromatic mass, another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Season with another pinch or two of salt; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Let the rajas cool completely before filling the empanadas.
4 Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5 Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a roughly 16-inch round about ⅛ inch thick. Punch out twelve 4-inch rounds of dough with a biscuit cutter.
6 Working with one dough round at a time, brush the surface with a sheen of beaten egg. Arrange 1½ tablespoons of the rajas filling in the center of the round, then fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork. Prick the top once with the fork, then place the shaped empanada on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Do not overfill the empanadas or they may split open while baking; save any extra filling for a very delicious quesadilla addition or omelet filling.
7 When all the empanadas are shaped, brush the outsides with a slick of egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. They are also delicious at room temperature.
ZUCCHINI PIZZA
I would like to sell you a bill of goods about how this flatbread conjures the year I spent abroad in Rome, learning about life, love, and myself in the Eternal City, where rectangular vegetable-topped pizzas are as common as headless sculptures of naked men. But the truth is seven degrees less fancy than that. The truth is that once we’d settled into a making-pizza-with-kids routine we needed a version that they’d eat and we’d feel okay about, because even though plain old cheese-and-tomato-sauce pizza is one of the great foods of civilization, sometimes everybody needs a vegetable. This is more of a classic focaccia dough, and if you bake it sans zucchini with just a scattering of rosemary in its place, it will be a lovely accompaniment to Italianate meals.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
FOCACCIA DOUGH
½ t active dry yeast, or 2 t fresh yeast
1½ C warm water
2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 C 00 flour
2 t kosher salt
3 T olive oil
TOPPING
¼ C olive oil, plus more for the pans
2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 C)
+ kosher salt
¾ C grated pecorino cheese
1 Make the focaccia dough: Combine the yeast and water in a bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and set aside to bloom for 5 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flours, salt, and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic, and let it rise and ferment slowly in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2 Brush one half-sheet pan (or two quarter-sheet pans) with olive oil. Punch down the dough, shape into a ball, and stretch to fill the pan. (If using two smaller pans, divide the dough into two equal pieces and work with one piece of dough at a time.) Cover the dough-filled pan(s) with plastic or kitchen towels and let rise at room temperature or warmer, until puffy, 20 to 30 minutes.
3 While the dough is rising, prepare the topping: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and, after a minute, add the zucchini. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini has released its liquid and the pan looks dry, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
4 Heat the oven to 500°F. Dock the risen dough—by which I mean poke it at 1-inch intervals with your fingertips, leaving deep indentations, like you’re Beatrix Kiddo attacking Elle Driver. Top the dough with a thin, even layer of the zucchini and sprinkle with the pecorino. Bake until golden and puffy, about 20 minutes. Cut and serve warm or at room temperature.