Spinach Cheese Torte Recipes

MUSHROOM, SPINACH AND CHEESE TORTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Saute onion and garlic in oil in large saucepan until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and spinach and continue cooking until mushrooms have released their juices and spinach has wilted. Continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
• Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Add ricotta and parmesan, sour cream, bread crumbs and parsley to eggs. Drain excess liquid from vegetables, then add to cheese mixture. Stir until well blended.
• Brush some of melted butter on large baking sheet. Count out 6 phyllo leaves and carefully lift them up and lay flat on buttered baking sheet.
• Spread filling over middle of leaves, leaving a 3 inch border all around. Brush edges with butter.
• On top of the filling, lay down 2 leaves of phyllo at a time, brushing top leaf with butter each time. After 4 pairs, fold corners of all phyllo leaves up over filling, and brush with butter.
• Lay down 2 more pairs of leaves, buttering top leaf of each pair. Tuck edges under torta, corners first, then sides. Sprinkle top with sesame or poppy seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until filling is set and phyllo is crisp and golden. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

SPINACH-CHEESE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Crush 20 crackers; mix with butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand remaining whole crackers around inside edge of pan.
• Beat cream cheese and sour cream in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into crust.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until top is puffed and center is set. Cool slightly. Refrigerate leftovers.

SPINACH, CHEESE & ONION RICE TORTE

Steps:

• Wash the spinach and put it in a large saucepan with just the water that clings to its leaves. Heat for 1-2 mins until gently wilted, then tip into a colander and allow to cool. Once cool, squeeze out the excess water and chop finely.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min more. Tip into a bowl, add the spinach, courgettes, rice and cheese, and toss together.
• Beat the 2 large eggs with the mustard, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Add to the spinach mixture and mix well. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Cut the pastry in half and roll 1 piece out on a lightly floured work surface until you have a sheet that measures 32 x 17cm. Place in a 30 x 15cm tin and prick it well all over the base. Roll out the remaining piece of pastry to the same size.
• Spoon the spinach mixture into the pastry base. Beat together the milk and remaining medium egg, then brush the edges of the pastry with it. Lay the other sheet of pastry over the top and press down gently to seal. Brush the top with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Place the tin on the preheated baking tray and bake for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 160C/140C fan/gas 4 and bake for a further 30 mins until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins before cutting into squares.

SPINACH AND ONION TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan and line it with the pastry. Keep it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
• Steam the spinach above an inch of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted. You will probably have to do this in batches. I like to use a pasta pot with an insert for steaming spinach, as I can get a lot of it into the insert. Rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop medium-fine.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and stir together. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon) and whisk in the milk. Stir in the onion and spinach mixture and the cheeses. Scrape into the pastry-lined tart pan. Place in the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until tart is set and beginning to color on the top. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or room temperature.

SAUSAGE WITH SPINACH AND CHEESE TORTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Grease or spray 9-inch springform pan. In medium bowl, mash beans with potato masher until almost smooth. Stir in Bisquick mix and dressing. Spread mixture in bottom and up sides of springform pan.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 7 to 9 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Remove from heat, and stir in spinach, tomatoes, oregano and 1 cup of the cheese; mix well. Spoon mixture over prebaked crust.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and cream with whisk until light. Pour over sausage mixture.
• Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown, center is firm, and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Loosen edge of torta from side of pan; remove side of pan. Cut into 6 wedges.

TASTY SPINACH TREATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a miniature muffin pan.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until tender and lightly browned.
• In a medium bowl, mix together onion, spinach, mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Unroll buttermilk biscuit dough. Separate each biscuit into two. Place biscuit dough halves into the prepared miniature muffin pan, forming small cups that extend slightly beyond the rim. Fill the biscuit dough cups with desired amounts of the onion and spinach mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven 12 minutes, or until biscuit dough and filling are lightly browned.

ITALIAN BRUNCH TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Unroll 1 tube of crescent dough and separate into triangles. Press onto bottom of prepared pan to form a crust, sealing seams well. Bake until set, 10-15 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and mushrooms; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender. Drain on several layers of paper towels, blotting well. In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper., Layer crust with half of each of the following: ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers and spinach mixture. Pour half of the egg mixture over top. Repeat layers; top with remaining egg mixture., On a work surface, unroll and separate remaining crescent dough into triangles. Press together to form a circle and seal seams; place over filling. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough., Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 1 to 1-1/4 hours, covering loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning. Carefully loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Let stand 20 minutes.

SPINACH TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 400°F.
• Heat oil in skillet large enough to hold spinach.
• Saute garlic and onion in skillet over medium heat until golden.
• Add spinach to pan and stir over medium heat until spinach is reduced and cooked.
• Drain in colander.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs until frothy.
• Add to spinach mixture. crush dill between fingers and add to spinach and egg mixture. Cool.
• In a small saucepan,melt butter.
• Prepare Phyllo as per directions on box (defrost 8 hours at room temperature before use). Separate three sheets of Phyllo dough and place on counter.Using a pastry brush,sparingly coat top layer with butter.
• Sprinkle with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.Separate three more sheets of Phyllo on top of the first layer.
• Again, lightly brush with melted butter.Sprinkle with bread crumbs.Continue six times, or until you have counted a total of 18 layers of Phyllo.
• Evenly spread out spinach mixture onto the top.
• Starting with the long end, roll up as a jelly roll, keeping it as tight as you can.
• Place on buttered baking sheet seam side down.
• Bake immediately in oven 25 minutes.
• To serve, slice in one inch interval diagonally.

SPINACH, POTATO AND GOAT'S CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Make the Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows, leaving to chill for 30 minutes before using. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart tin with the dough and bake 'blind'. Cook's Note: Blind Baking. To pre-bake a pastry shell before adding filling, first chill the pastry, and then line your pan. Line the pastry with foil, parchment or greaseproof paper, leaving plenty to come up the sides. Fill with baking beans (alternatively, for a really smooth finish use plastic wrap to line the pastry: place 2 sheets over the pastry, add the beans and bring the edges into the center.) Whichever method you choose, bake 'blind' in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry feels dry. Remove the paper and beans, and brush with a little leftover beaten egg, and return to the oven for 2 minutes. If there are any little holes or cracks in the pastry, just patch it up with any leftover raw pastry before you return it to the oven. Remove from the oven, and set aside in the pan while you make the filling. The pastry can be baked a day in advance and kept covered until you need it. Filling: Wash and dry the spinach, removing any tough stalks and stems, if using large spinach leaves. In a medium-size saucepan, cook the spinach in just the water that's clinging to it, over a low heat until it wilts. Drain the spinach in a colander or sieve, and let cool a little, then squeeze most of the moisture out with your hands, and roughly chop. Meanwhile, steam or boil the potatoes, until just cooked, and cool the potatoes on a tray or board. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, and add the cream, salt, and pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and grated Parmesan. Whisk these ingredients together, and then add the spinach, and mix through. Season well as the potatoes are very mild and need a good contrast. Spread the potato slices over the base of the prepared tart, and dot with the goat's cheese, reserving a few slices of each to place on the top, if you wish. Gently spoon the spinach cream mixture over the cheese, as high as you can go. If you are concerned about spillage, carry the tart minus the last few spoons of filling over to the oven. Place the pan in the oven, and then add the remaining filling, and any remaining potato, and cheese slices. Bake until the tart is golden brown and just set in the center, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven, and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Shortcrust Pastry
• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 crust (about 14 ounces).

TORTA RUSTICA (SPINACH , TOMATO & CHEESE QUICHE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425. You can use the piecrust pan provided, or place one crust in a 9-inh pie pan for better presentation. Leave the other piecrust out to thaw.
• Lightly beat 1 egg; brush half the egg over bottom of crust and set the rest aside to use later on the top of the crust.
• In a large bowl, combine remaining eggs, ricotta, Asiago, and Parmesan cheese and basix; mix until well blended.
• Stir in spinach, bread crumbs and tomatoes.
• Scrape mixture into prepared piecrust; smooth top to make and even layer.
• Place second piecrust over filling.
• Brush remaining egg over the top.
• Flute edge and seal.
• Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375; bake 20 minutes longer, or until golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes before serving.