Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Torta

Requested from Brad’s post TN: Dinner in NYC with Marshall and Diana Gelb. - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers here.

Layered Roast Vegetable Torta

I don’t really have a recipe for this, it just developed over the years and I get “fancy” with it sometimes through the layering. I roast whatever vegetables look good at the market, cut about ¼” thick, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. In this case, it was zuchinni, eggplant, red onions (cut ½” thick), red peppers, orange bell peppers, and yellow squash. In the summer, I use my outdoor grill. For this horrible excuse of a Spring we’re having, I broiled them in my oven on parchment so they wouldn’t stick.

I usually use the eggplant to line a springform pan (use springform as you want the liquid to leak out overnight) as it’s more pliable and the slices are larger. Make sure the eggplant is long enough that it overhangs the edges of the pan.

Layer in each veggie, sprinkling some chopped fresh thyme and S&P as needed. Fold over the overhanging eggplant and cover any holes with more eggplant.

Bake at 350º for 30 minutes to get the juices going and to soften the vegetables some more.

Place the whole torta onto a rimmed pan and put a plate directly on the torta and put weights on it. Let it sit overnight. It’s easiest to unmold and slice it while it’s still cold. I then put the springform ring back on it to help it keep it’s shape while I warm it in the oven and finish whatever main course I’m making.

I saw the picture of the torta and was drooling. Thanks for the recipe. It looks beautiful and tastey.

Very Nice

Christine,

I’m going to mess with your lovely dish this weekend. I had pickled some red peppers, last week , which I’m going to try adding to your recipe.

Btw … since you posted on this… do you have the recipe for your dessert … that looks very light and refreshing .

Paul

Sure Paul, although I don’t know if I’d call the dessert “light” though thin slivers of it are a nice pick-me-up.

Hi Christine. . .good to run across you and your cooking again. I developed on my own a vegetable terrine very similar to yours which I serve cold. I had looked high and low for recipes and came up with nothing. . .so had to develop it. I, too, roast on the grill whatever vegetables are available in 1/4" slices, seasoned similarly to yours. I believe that I roast mine a bit longer than you do to soften them. I then make a mixture of tomato juice, some lemon juice, any herbs you want to throw in, a little Tobasco and Worchestershire Sauce, and warm it dissolving several packets of gelatin. I then layer the vegetables in a plastic wrap lined loaf pan in an attractive manner (particularly on the top and sides), dipping each piece of vegetable in the liquid mixture before layering. As you build this you can add basil leaves, some goat cheese, or other herbs if you wish. When the pan is full, I top it off with the rest of the liquid mixture and the refrigerate overnight. It unmolds easily with the plastic wrap and when sliced the cross sectional colors are striking. I usually dress it with a bit of aioli and serve cold as a summer appetizer or brunch dish. Keep your recipes coming. . .thanks.

Hi Bruce!

I’ll have to try your version when/if the weather actually turns warm. Thanks.

Christine,

I wanted to make this kind of vegetable torta since a long time, based on a recipe by the TOP cook Lea Linster from Luxembourg. BTW, her recipe with the same ingredients is a terrine AND in addition she uses black olive tapenade for the aubergines. Congratulation, your torta looks gorgeous!

Cheers,
Martin

Thanks Martin! I’ll have to try it with the addition of tapenade one of these days. Perhaps served with some roast lamb… yum.

making this right now…

and the slice…

BeeYouuuTeeFull, Mel!!

prepping a grilled version

Utterly fantastic.

torta built

Does it actually taste good, or just look good?

What part of grilled veggies with a little bit of S&P and thyme could taste bad?

thanks for the photos mel! I was trying to imagine how to layer it in my head but your photos make it perfect! Will try this soon =)

finished the torta project, time to eat it!

and a second slice shot

Simply fantastic. WOW!

That looks awesome!!