Torta Rustica, Italian Savory Picnic Pie

I’ve held on to this recipe for several years, it’s so good. But I only make it on special occasions because it does take a little extra time. This recipe is based on one I found from Nick Stellino who used to have a TV cooking show. For my version I skip the eggplant to reduce the number of steps – also some members of my family prefer no eggplant – and I make it on a cookie sheet instead of in a spring-form pan for more servings – the layers are very pretty in a spring-form pan though. A few more servings is a good thing! It disappears quickly, and you want to be sure to have enough!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough, see recipe below, or if you buy store-bought, be sure you have enough to fit a double layer in a cookie sheet.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced Black Forest ham or prosciutto
1 (13 to 15 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained or make it your own (see Angel’s Tips)
1 lb. freshly grated provolone cheese (or slices)
1 C. black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

Serves 12-15

Prepare pizza dough a day ahead. While it is rising, heat 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high, add the onion, saute for one minute, then add the garlic, reduce the heat to medium and saute for 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and mushrooms are limp and dry. Take off the heat and stir in the spinach and ricotta. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out 3/4 of the pizza dough to approximately 1/2 inch thick. Press the dough into lightly oiled cookie sheet. Press the dough up the side of the pan. Layer 1/2 of each ingredient in the pan in the following order: ham, spinach mixture, peppers, cheese and olives. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Roll out the remaining dough to fit over the layered ingredients. Lay it over the top and fold the dough on the sides over the top dough, crimping them together to seal the edges. Give the top several pokes with a fork to allow steam to escape and brush with the beaten egg.

Place the Torta Rustica in the preheated oven and bake about 30 minutes until the internal temperature in the middle reaches 120 F. About 20 minutes into the baking, cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the top from getting too brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serve at room temperature or warm in the oven for 5 minutes or so for a nice crunch. Cut into 12 or 15 pieces.

Angel’s Tip: Olive oil is best, but if all you have is canola oil or vegetable oil, it will work fine. If you’d like to make your own roasted red bell pepper, it’s easy. Simply place the pepper on a baking sheet and broil in the oven. Keep a very close eye on it and turn with tongs every minute or less until it is somewhat blackened. Immerse the pepper in a bowl of cold water and when cool peel the skin off and slice and dice. I usually roast mine outside on the grill, again, turning with tongs every minute or so.

Pizza dough

2 C. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil, or canola or vegetable oil
4-5 plus C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt



Place 2 C. warm water in large mixing bowl. Water should be almost hot, not scalding. Add yeast and sugar and whisk a little. Place in warm spot for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Mix the salt into the flour and add 4 cups of the flour, add more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Dust counter with flour with extra on the side. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until elastic. It should not stick to your hands too much, yet not be too dry.

While kneading soak the bowl in warm water. When done, rinse and dry the bowl add a tiny bit of oil (a teaspoon or so) and place dough in bowl getting oil on both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot.

The best method is to let it double in size and then punch down and refrigerate over night. This gives it a better texture, like you find at a pizzeria. If you - like me usually - didn’t think ahead far enough to stick it in the fridge, use the dough at this point for the picnic pie. Sometimes I only let it rise for 30 minutes if I’m in a hurry.

Angel’s Tip: Always looking for a faster way, I usually add the flour to the water and yeast mixture, top it with the salt and, using the teaspoon, stir the salt into the flour then mix it all together with a wooden spoon.

When making a regular pizza, I make it in a cookie sheet and use 1 1/4 C. water, 1 Tbsp. yeast, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3-4 plus C. flour and 1 tsp. salt.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Fresh strawberry jam is so much better than store-bought, wouldn’t you agree? Please believe me when I tell you this recipe is so easy, you will kick yourself for not trying it out sooner! There is no cooking involved, and this brand of pectin uses less sugar than some other brands – it’s a snap!
If you choose to make peach jam, see instructions below – it requires 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
Just remember to get Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin – make sure it says INSTANT – for the quick method.
The finished product makes about 2 cups and can be poured into canning jars or plastic resealable containers, both work great.
Can you taste the fresh strawberries???

Ingredients:
1 2/3 C. strawberries, crushed or finely chopped
2/3 C. sugar or Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 small packet Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin (see picture below)

Directions:
1. Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl.
2. Add fruit. Stir 3 minutes.
3. Ladle jam into clean jars (or plastic containers) and let stand 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Tips: Plastic freezer jar or glass jars with straight sides work best for freezing. When filling jars, leave 1/2 inch headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. If you use frozen fruit the result will be a little bit runny, but still tasty.

For peach jam: stir peaches, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, let stand 10 minutes. Add pectin gradually to prevent clumping. Stir 3 minutes. Ladle jam into clean jars and let stand 30 minutes.

Apple Slab

Anytime is a great time for apple pie, but now that it’s fall and getting cooler, it sounds even better! Apple Slab is apple pie made to fit a cookie sheet. It's also known as Apple Squares. This recipe comes from my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day – she’s a great resource for creative recipes! She adapted this dessert from one she saw in “Cook’s Illustrated” magazine. The above picture is Rachel’s creation. I’d never made Cream Cheese Pie Dough before – yum! Slathered with a drizzle of apple-cinnamon glaze and a dollop of ice cream on the side, Apple Slab is a new favorite!

Cream Cheese Pie Dough: (double this for Apple Slab)
1 1/4 C. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. ice cold water

Mix up dough as you would a pie crust dough.

Apple Pie Filling:
12-16 apples peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 C. flour
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
little lemon juice (optional)

Glaze:
Combine 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, add apple cider and/or milk, a little at a time, until it is a consistency good for drizzling.

Make pie filling first, and let juices develop while making the crust. Mix up the crust like any other pie crust – Rachel uses a Kitchen-Aid mixer, but see tips below for another method. Be sure to double the pie crust recipe then cut the dough in half. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill a little or, if you’re in a rush, start rolling!
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out one of the halves to the size of a cookie sheet, and big enough to go up the sides of the cookie sheet. It doesn’t have to look pretty because this is a rustic apple dessert. Spread filling evenly on top and place about two tablespoons of butter in little dollops all over the apples.
Roll out the other half of the dough and lay it on top. Rachel rolls it big enough to cover the apples, but doesn’t tuck it in around the edges as with a round pie – if it’s too big when you lay it on top, cut off excess.
Cut slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Angel’s Tips: I found a method I like for making pie dough which I once saw on a Julia Child’s TV show when she had a guest pie baker in her studio – this works well if you don't have a mixer. Stir the dry ingredients in a bowl. Place this on a large work surface. Cut chilled butter – I just open butter and make about 7 slices in each. Place the pads of butter in the flour mixture, covering them with some of the flour, and roll out with a rolling pin. Keep rolling and moving the butter a little bit, piling it in the flour, so it doesn’t stick to the counter. Then place it all back in the bowl. I added the cream cheese at this point, which was just slightly softened, not warm. Then add the ice cold water and lemon juice. Use wooden spoon or other big spoon for the stirring and mixing, not your hands. Once everything is mixed in, divide dough in two and chill, covered in plastic wrap.

My first time making Apple Slab, I placed it in a 9x13 baking dish, so my crust was a little thicker. I also doubled the Apple Slab recipe and used the same amount of apples for one recipe. Next time, I'll make it in the cookie sheet – more servings! – with the full amount of apples.

This recipe will work with other pie fillings as well – pumpkin, cherry, blueberry ...