Emanuela la Podere La Fonte Torta

The planning of this trip actually began in March 2011. Marlane Miriello shared this recipe for Torta Pasqualina with me so it could be prepared for the membership of the House of Italy in Balboa Park San Diego, California. The idea was to demonstrate the authentic food being prepared and served in the Il Campo cooking school.

What it did for me was add Radicondili to my list of places to go in Tuscany. And to make the experience even more cohesive, Emanuela at Podere La Fonte where we stayed is the guest instructor that originated this recipe and taught it during one of the week long courses, perfetto.

                             Torta Pasqualina

For the filling:

1 ½         pounds                   fresh spinach or swiss chard leaves -- washed thoroughly

1              pound                    ricotta cheese (ideally made from fresh
½             cup                         finely grated parmesan cheese
2                                             eggs + 1 egg white
 ¼            tsp.                         ground nutmeg
                                               salt and pepper to taste
2              tblsp.                     whole fennel seeds

 For the crust:

3              cups                       whole wheat or white all-purpose flour
½             cup                         olive oil
1              pinch                     salt
Water or ricotta as desired -- enough to blend the dough

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit .. 176 celcius

Preparing the crust:

Place the flour and salt in a food processor.
Turn on the food processor and slowly add the olive oil. Blend until the mixture becomes well-blended and mealy.

Add either the water or ricotta, with the food processor on, one

tablespoon at a time until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Remove from food processor and place in a covered bowl for at least thirty minutes.

Roll out the dough on a floured marble slab or pastry board until it is very large, approximately 20" square.

Assembling the tart:

Spoon the filling into the center of the pastry sheet, spreading it out over approximately a 12 X 15" area in the center of the crust.

Fold the wide edges over the filling.  Paint the top of the crust with and egg wash made of egg white and a few drops of water.

Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. fennel seeds over the top. Bake in the center of a 350 degree oven for approximately one hour, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, let it cool slightly before serving. Torta Pasqualina is also good served at room temperature or cold.