Vegetable Torte

This is a wonderful recipe for a layered vegetable torte. This is the perfect time of year to make it with all of the fresh vegetables available at farmers markets, but it would be good anytime of year. You can grill the vegetables or roast them before putting this dish together so it is pretty flexible. Easily adapted to be vegan…just leave out the Parmesan topping.

The recipe is from NYTCooking, Mark Bittman.

This is a very nice company side dish or just for the family! I Made this earlier in the day & then just put it in the oven to warm slightly. It can be served, hot or at room temperature

Here is the recipe

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

4 medium zucchini or yellow squash *** I used all zucchini because I could not find yellow squash

2 Portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup olive or more as needed

salt & pepper

2 plum tomatoes  *** I had 2 large tomatoes so I just used them

2 tbsp minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs…. fresh is best here

 

Method

Preheat oven to 400f

Grease the bottom & sides of a 8 inch springform pan with oil

1. Prepare the vegetables : cut the eggplant, zucchini, Portobello mushrooms & tomaotes into 1/4 inch slices. Set the tomatoes aside
2. You can grill the vegetables using a grill pan onthe stove or grill them on the BBQ, or roast them. I was bsuy doing other things so I roasted them since that was the least ‘interactive’
3. Brush the each slice of vegetables with olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper if grilling. If you are roasting them, roast on greased baking sheets, still brush the tops ofthe vegetable slices with oil & salt & pepper them. Roast until soft & a bit charred
4. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle begin layering them into the prepared springform pan
5. Starting with the eggplant, put 1/3 of the eggplant slices into the bottom of the pan
6. Salt & pepper eacl layer of vegetables.. layer in half of the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic & basil.
7. Repeat layering the vegetables…. half of the balance of eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic & basil ending with last of the eggplant
8. Press the vegetables down with a spatuala to compress them & make this as compast as you can
9. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan & bread crumbs
10. Drizzle with olive oil, about 1 tbsp
11. Bake the torte in the oven until it is hot & browned on top, approximatley 30 minutes
12. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before removeing the outer ring of the pan, then let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before cuttin into wedges
13. Please not that it is not really easy to cut & it falls apart! But it is delicious!