Tourte Milanaise
- 1-pound puff pastry (homemade or purchased)
2 open –face omelets, each made with 2 ½ eggs, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon) and salt (Prepare in a 7 or 8” skillet or omelet pan)
- 1-tablespoon oil
- 1-pound fresh spinach, blanched and well drained
- 2 garlic cloves (or more if you like), minced
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 large red peppers, cut into 1” pieces and blanched
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces ham, thinly sliced (can use another vegetable or some thin sliced tofu for vegetarian dish)
- 1 egg, beaten
Lightly grease an 8-inch spring-form pan. Roll out ¾ of pastry ¼ inch thick and line the bottom and sides of pan. Keep remaining pastry refrigerated.
Heat oil and butter in large skillet. Add spinach, garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove from skillet.
Add red pepper to skillet and sauté briefly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350. Layer ingredients in prepared pan in the following order: 1 omelet, ½ the spinach, ½ the cheese, ½ ham or substitute, and all the red pepper. Repeat the layering in the reverse order, using the remaining ham (or substitute), cheese, spinach and omelet.
Roll remaining pastry ¼ inch thick. Cut out 8-inch circle. Place over omelet and seal well to pastry lining by pinching with fingers. With tip of knife, draw the number of slices desired directly on the pastry (I don’t do this) or decorate with scraps of pastry - this I do. Brush with beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet (sometimes it leaks) and bake until golden brown – about 70 – 75 minutes. Cool slightly. Release from pan and serve warm.
- Good the next day too.
- Serves 6 – 8
(YUWO Gourmet Luncheon February 7, 1980)