There are many different vegetable tortas and pies in the cuisine of northern Italy. They are usually made with seasonal vegetables, local cheeses and eggs. Some are encased in pastry. Vegetable tortas were traditionally taken on picnics, or served as antipasto. They make a good light main-course dish when accompanied by a salad.
Today's recipe is for torta di spinaci e riso, a lovely baked dish of spinach and rice. I like to use lots of spinach in it, to keep it moist when cooked. Although there are quite a few steps to the recipe, they can be done ahead of time. It is easy to make, but take care with the timing when boiling the rice and baking the torta.
The fennel and orange salad is a simple winter salad from Sicily. Blood oranges are available now and are beautiful in the salad. It can be served as a starter, with the main course or after it. Be sure to buy the plump, female fennel bulbs. The flat bulbs are not suitable for the salad.
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Silver beet leaves (not the ribs) could be used in this recipe, or a combination of spinach and silverbeet. Herbs can also be added.
Serves 6
3 bunches (about 900g) English spinach or 2 x 250g packets frozen spinach
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
200g arborio rice
4 free-range eggs
4 tbsp (60g) freshly grated parmesan or other cheese
freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, dry breadcrumbs or polenta and extra parmesan
Grease a 22cm spring-form tin with olive oil. Coat it with breadcrumbs or polenta.
Wash the spinach thoroughly. Cut off the stems. Place the leaves in a large saucepan and wilt over heat. Remove the spinach and chop quite finely when cool. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft. Cook the rice in boiling water for 10 minutes and then drain. Preheat the oven to 180C. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the parmesan, onion, rice and spinach and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Dribble a little olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parmesan. Bake for about 30 minutes. It should have formed a golden crust and be firm to touch in the centre. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Aim to have equal amounts of fennel and orange slices for the salad. Marinate the olives if you like in extra-virgin olive oil with strips of orange zest, thyme sprigs, a dried chilli and clove of garlic.
Serves 4
2 navel oranges or 4 blood orangesA
2 small, plump fennel bulbs with fronds
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
a few sprigs thyme or a handful of mint leaves
a handful of kalamata olives, pitted
1 bunch rocket (optional)
Cut off the fennel stalks and save the fronds. Remove the outer layer, cut the bulb in half and remove the core. Place fennel, cut side down, and thinly slice lengthways. Put the slices in cold water and keep in the fridge until needed. Cut the oranges , saving any juices for the dressing. Cut the skin off the top and bottom of the orange and down the sides, being sure to remove all the white pith. Cut the segments out from between the membranes. Squeeze the juice from remaining membranes over the orange segments. Trim the rocket stems and pick over the fennel fronds. Wash and dry them. Dry the fennel slices in a towel and place in a bowl. Add the orange segments and juice and smaller fronds. Strip thyme leaves from stems, or tear mint leaves, and add to the salad with a pinch of salt. Pour over the olive oil and mix the salad gently with your hands. Place the rocket leaves and larger fennel fronds on to a serving plate. At serving time arrange the salad over the leaves and dot with the drained olives.