Potato And Porcini Torte Recipes

POTATO GRATIN WITH PORCINI AND SOY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Stir together the soy sauce and mushroom powder in a small bowl and set aside.
• Add the cream, garlic and thyme sprigs to a medium pot and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the garlic and thyme from the cream, then whisk in the creme fraiche, nutmeg and soy-mushroom mixture until well incorporated; season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the gratin by putting half of the potatoes in a single overlapping layer in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Coat with half of the cream mixture and sprinkle on 1 cup of the Gruyere. Repeat with the remaining potato slices, cream mixture and 1 cup Gruyere. Cover with foil and transfer the dish to a baking sheet.
• Bake until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and bubbling, 30 minutes. Let sit 30 minutes before serving.

POTATO-BACON TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
• Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.)
• Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
• Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

POTATO AND PORCINI TORTE

Steps:

• Place porcini in small bowl. Add hot water. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Coarsely chop porcini.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter large ovenproof skillet. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in overlapping concentric circles in skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon rosemary and half of mushrooms. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat layering, using half of remaining potatoes, all remaining rosemary and mushrooms, 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 1 tablespoon butter. Top with remaining potatoes, placing in overlapping circles. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 2 tablespoons butter. Place skillet over medium heat just until liquid bubbles, about 2 minutes.
• Cover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack; let stand 5 minutes.
• Place platter upside down over skillet. Turn platter and skillet over, inverting potato torte onto platter. Remove skillet. Rearrange potatoes, if necessary.

OVEN-BAKED PORCINI ON A BED OF POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the porcini stems from their caps. Shave the dirt from the stems with a small, sharp knife until you reach the clean flesh. Wipe the caps clean using a damp paper towel. Working in two batches, place the stems in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Brush 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on the bottom of an 8-by-11-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange the potatoes in the dish in a slightly overlapping layer. Sprinkle 1 clove of garlic evenly over the potatoes and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Place the stems in an even layer over the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the remaining garlic and the oregano evenly over the stems. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Arrange the caps over the stems, season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the porcini and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small knife, about 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve immediately.

POTATO TORTE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, and mash in a mixing bowl.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8- or 9-inch baking pan at least 1 1/2 inches deep, preferably a springform or other loose-bottomed pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and heavily butter paper with about 1/2 tablespoon of butter.
• Add the cheese, mortadella, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste to the potatoes, and mix well. The potatoes should be smooth and thick, but not stiff. Add a little more milk if necessary. Spread potatoes in baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and dot with bits of the remaining tablespoon of butter.
• Bake about 35 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the baking pan, cut into wedges or squares and serve, taking care to lift the pieces off the parchment.

POTATO AND PORCINI GRATIN

Steps:

• In a bowl soak porcini in warm water 30 minutes, or until softened. Slowly strain soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into a small saucepan, being careful to leave last tablespoon (containing sediment) in bowl. Boil soaking liquid until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Wash porcini under cold water to remove any grit and pat dry. Chop porcini coarse. Peel potatoes and slice 1/8 inch thick. In a large (4-quart) saucepan cook porcini and garlic in butter over moderate heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add potatoes, reduced porcini liquid, milk, cream, 4 teaspoons chives, and salt and bring liquid to boil, stirring.
• Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-quart gratin dish and bake 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle gratin with remaining 2 teaspoons chives.

POTATO TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place potatoes in a large pot, and add enough cold water to cover, bring to boil and lower heat.
• Simmer until tender but firm, about 5-7 minutes, drain and return to hot pan to dry out.
• Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Saute shallot in butter for about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and turn off heat, set aside to cool.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs.
• Add the shallots mozzarella and 3/4°C Parmigiano, mix to combine.
• Make sure your Cast Iron Pan is buttered all around and on the sides.
• Place 1 layer potatoes in the bottom of the pan, Top with 1/4 of the egg mixture, add another layer of potatoes and 1/4 of the eggs, repeating until all of the ingredients are used.
• Be sure to end with a layer of potatoes.
• Top with remaining Parmigiano and bake 40-50 minutes until tender and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

POTATO AND PORCINI TORTE

Steps:

• Place porcini in small bowl.
• Add hot water.
• Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes.
• Drain, reserving soaking liquid.
• Coarsely chop porcini.
• Preheat oven to 450ºF.
• Generously butter large ovenproof skillet.
• Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in overlapping concentric circles in skillet.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon rosemary and half of mushrooms.
• Drizzle with 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 1 tablespoon butter.
• Repeat layering, using half of remaining potatoes, all remaining rosemary and mushrooms, 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 1 tablespoon butter.
• Top with remaining potatoes, placing in overlapping circles.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with 2 tablespoons soaking liquid and 2 tablespoons butter.
• Place skillet over medium heat just until liquid bubbles, about 2 minutes.
• Cover skillet and transfer to oven.
• Bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover; bake until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer to rack; let stand 5 minutes.
• Place platter upside down over skillet. Turn platter and skillet over, inverting potato torte onto platter.
• Remove skillet.
• Rearrange potatoes, if necessary.

POTATO AND SPINACH TORTE

Steps:

• 1 Scrub the potatoes with a brush under cold running water. Peel the potatoes and place them in a medium pot with cold water to cover. Add salt and cover the pot. Bring to a boil and cook about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. 2 In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and golden. 3 Place the spinach in a large pot with the 1/2 cup of water and salt to taste. Cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out the excess liquid. Chop the spinach on a board. 4 Add the spinach to the skillet and stir it together with the onion. 5 When the potatoes are tender, drain them and mash them until smooth. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the milk. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 6 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 7 Generously butter a 9-inch baking dish. Spread half the potatoes in the dish. Make a second layer of all of the spinach. Top with the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and the bread crumbs. 8 Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden. Let rest 15 minutes before serving. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.