This dish is known in Italy as torta salata, which translates into salted torte. It is salted as all the meats are cured in salt and for this reason I recommend not adding any salt.
You can go all the way with this recipe or really speed it up by using puff pastry.
In the peak of a cold European winter I love to use bechamel sauce to make it super rich and warming.
For the dough
- About 7g dried yeast
- Good pinch of sugar
- 4 tbsp warm water
- 300g all-purpose flour
- Good pinch of salt
- 4 free range eggs
- 150g softened butter
For the filling
- 6 large ripe tomatoes (or 250g good quality tinned)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 300g-quality mozzarella, roughly torn
- Freshly ground pepper
- Handful of cleaned and torn basil
- 200g cured meats of your choice. Prosciutto, bresaola, salami etc
- 6 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp butter
To make the dough
Break the yeast into a little mixing bowl, add the sugar and the warm water and give it a good mix and then set aside for about 5 minutes.
Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt and make a well in the middle with your fingers.
Add the yeast mix, eggs and the butter to the well and use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients. When it starts looking like dough turn it out onto a clean and floured surface and knead for about ten minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Put the dough into a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp clean cloth and then place the bowl in the warmest part of the kitchen (not the oven) to allow the yeast to work.
For the filling
If using fresh tomatoes plunge them into boiling salted water for about a minute and then remove and refresh in cold water. Remove the skin and the seeds from the tomatoes so you are left with the flesh. Use your fingers to squash the tomato flesh so that it is broken up but not pureed.
After a couple of hours the dough should have risen and be ready to go. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and give it a bit of a tap with your hands so that it contracts. Break a third of the dough off and set aside.
Lightly grease and flour a springform pan and place the bulk of the dough into the pan. Use your fingers to spread the dough over the base and the sides of the pan.
Spread about half of the mozzarella over the base followed by the tomatoes, cracked pepper and about a third of the basil. Cover with prosciutto (or your choice of cured meat) and the rest of the mozzarella followed by some freshly grated Parmesan and a little cracked pepper.
Roll the rest of the dough into a big circle about the size of the spring form tin, this will be our lid. Brush the edges of the circle with the egg wash and then place the circle over the top of the torte. Use your fingers to seal the lid with the sides of the torte. Place the uncooked torte in a warm part of the kitchen again and allow it to rise, about an hour.
Cover the lid of the torte with the remaining egg wash and bake in a preheated oven on 200C for 20-30 mins.
Serve hot to loved ones.
