Spoiler Alert: Zucchinis are coming for you
Cheesy, delicious Zucchini Torta for you and your vegetarian friends
Rabbit! Rabbit! Goodbye, June. Hello summer.
After a rocky start to summer—coolish weather turning suddenly hot as it is wont to do in the Northeast, U.S.—we’re now in full zucchini territory because those prolific squashes only take from 35 to 55 days to mature. In anticipation of the zucchini explosion that every gardener and farmers’ market is about to experience, today I’m sharing a very easy vegetarian summer torta.
Torta is the Italian word for cake, but it isn’t always sweet. The famous torta della nonna, a lemony custard cake, sounds divine, but today we’re talking about a savory cake. It’s a torta invisible, made with layers of thinly sliced zucchini coins bound together with eggs and flour and spiked with rich mascarpone, plenty of Parmesan, and herbs. The batter has also been used to make an apple invisible cake, which sounds like something worth exploring in the fall. It’s called invisible because a very thin batter holds the vegetables together without intruding too much on the cheesy, tightly packed vegetable filling.
The finished torta is something like a quiche. Adapt it to suit your taste. Instead of the mascarpone in this recipe, try it with fresh ricotta. Other vegetables, such as sweet bell pepper slices, thinly sliced roasted eggplant, yellow squash, or tomato slices (drained on paper towels), are other possibilities. Make the torta several hours ahead if you're hosting brunch or heading to a friend's potluck. You can serve it at room temperature or warm it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Zucchini Parmesan Torta Recipe
Butter (for the pan)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup mascarpone
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 medium zucchinis (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds (6 to 7 cups sliced)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Large handful of basil leaves, thinly
Extra grated Parmesan (for sprinkling)
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, whisk the eggs, mascarpone, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stir in the 3/4 cup Parmesan. Set a fine-meshed strainer over the bowl. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix until combined. Stir in the zucchini, parsley, and basil until the batter coats the zucchini.
3. Spoon half the filling into the pan so the rounds lay flat. Spoon in the remaining batter, making sure the rounds are all flat. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and set the pan on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden. Set on a wire rack to cool and settle for 15 minutes.
5. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and unlatch the sides. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the torta gently on one side and pull out the parchment paper. Use the spatula to transfer the torta to a large, flat platter. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Side note: On my recent trip to London to visit my son and daughter-in-law, there was a lot of talk around the dinner table about AI. The differing opinions in re: my job as a food photographer and recipe developer ran along generational lines. The older generation (me) doesn’t believe the artist or creative can be fully replaced while the younger generation believes it will render our service in very low demand. Time will tell!
For your entertainment (and also mine) I did a little experiment, and this is what AI brought forth on the subject of zucchini.
“Did you know?
Zucchini Day: August 8th is celebrated as National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day in the United States. It's a lighthearted day where people joke about the abundance of zucchinis in gardens and kitchens during peak harvest season.
Zucchini Racing: In some parts of the world, particularly in the United States and Canada, there are quirky events known as "zucchini races" where zucchinis are turned into racecars. Small wheels are attached to zucchinis, and they are raced down tracks or courses for fun and entertainment.
Giant Zucchinis: Zucchinis have been known to grow very large, with some specimens reaching lengths of over 3 feet (1 meter) and weights exceeding 20 pounds (9 kilograms). These giant zucchinis often surprise gardeners and can be used creatively in recipes. (Please don’t do that! zucchinis are not known for their assertive flavor, but the larger they grow, the blander they will be.)
Zucchini in Space: Zucchinis have been grown in space as part of experiments aboard the International Space Station. NASA has conducted studies to understand plant growth and food production in microgravity, with zucchinis being one of the crops tested.”
My takeaway: t’s not the most scintillating reading and aside from zucchinis in space, I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already need to know (zucchini racing will not impact my daily life.) However, Zucchinis in Space sounds like a good name for a rock band.
I’m going to make variations of this all summer long, because it’s easy and tasty and I don’t want to have to work too hard.
Until next time…
XXOO
Sally
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Such an interesting take on zucchini as well as a fab recipe!