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Italian Easter Torta (Torta Pasqualina)

  • Author: Roz
  • Prep Time: 0 hours
  • Additional Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 hours
  • Total Time: 0 hours

Ingredients

Units Scale

Filling

  • 1 package dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and drained
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
  • 1 pound fresh spinach
  • 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 pounds ricotta cheese, drained
  • 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 4 Tbsp. flour

Layers of Italian Meats and Cheeses

  • 1/2 cup asiago cheese, shredded or sliced
  • 1 large ball of fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 1/4 lb. provolone cheese, shredded or sliced
  • 1/2 cup pancetta, cubed or sliced thin
  • 1/4 cup mortadella, cubed or sliced thin
  • 4 oz. hot cappicola, cibed or sliced thin
  • 1/4 lb. prosciutto, cubed or sliced thin
  • 4 oz. soprassetta, cubed or sliced thin
  • 4 oz. Genoa salami, cubed or sliced thin
  • 4 oz. pepperoni, cubed or sliced thin

Pie Dough

  • Use your favorite high-quality pie dough recipe

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place dried porcini mushrooms in bowl of hot water to plump up for about 30 minutes, drain.
  3. In buttered saucepan, saute’ the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
  4. In separate large frying/sauce pan, in olive oil, cook the spinach for 2 minutes.
  5. In another sauce pan, in olive oil, cook artichokes for 5 minutes.
  6. In another small sauce pan, in olive oil, sauté garlic.
  7. Add all of these together, except the spinach, set it aside for the assembly of torta.
  8. Add in the parsley.
  9. Set aside.
  10. In a large bowl, blend ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, whipping cream, and flour.
  11. Add the mushroom, artichoke, garlic, parsley mixture to the cheese-egg mixture.
  12. Assembly of Torta
  13. Spray/grease a 10″ springform pan
  14. Roll out pie dough so that it is wide enough to cover both the bottom and sides of the baking pan.
  15. Pour in about 2 inches of the cheese-egg-artichoke filling mixture.
  16. Bake for about 10 minutes.
  17. Remove from oven and alternate layers of remaining cheeses and Italian meats, except the mozzarella.
  18. Layer the cooked spinach on top.
  19. Layer the slices of mozzarella on top of spinach.
  20. Pour remaining cheese-egg-mushroom-artichoke mixture over the meat and cheese layers.
  21. Place a top layer of pie dough on top and baste with an egg wash.
  22. Bake for 70 – 80 minutes, using aluminum foil to prevent dough from burning.

Notes

  • Adapted with several major adjustments to a recipe found on “The Italian Dish”.
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