Mom's Torta

Serafin love's Torta, as you might be able to tell, she's ready to grub down!

I have been enjoying sharing my recipes with you all lately.  My mom always taught me that food was such a wonderful way to connect.  A time when everybody can sit down together and talk, or just simply be together enjoying the flavors they are experiencing.  As a result of my mom's passion for food, she was an amazing cook, she even took lessons from Julia Child and one point.  

This dish in particular reminds me of my mom.  One day, she showed up at my doorstep with two bushels of chard and a recipe.  "Here!"  She said as she handed me everything.  "Cook this!"  I was in my mid twenties at that point I wasn't as confident in the kitchen, I remember reading the instructions carefully and making it exactly as it said to.  Now, I have to say, I've probably gotten a bit sloppy in the kitchen (maybe too confident, or, more likely, just lazy).  I make do with what I have and am always throwing in a bit of this and a bit of that.  The recipe I am going to share with you is a spin off of the one my mom handed me, catered to what was in my fridge today.  I have flavored it many different ways, depending on my mood and I'd say 9 times out of 10 we all enjoy this yummy meal.

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Mom's Torta

Ingredients:

A bushel of leafy greens, leaves pulled from stems and chopped. (Today I used rainbow chard because it looked fresh and yummy.  I have used all types of chard and kale for this recipe.  I also chopped the stems today and threw them in to give the torta a crunch, but it's not necessary.)

2 Cups of cooked rice ( I usually make this dish the day after a stir fry or some other rice dish, I make extra and it is ready to go the next day when I assemble this dish!)

1 large chopped yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 grated zucchini

Handful of mushrooms chopped

4 large eggs

1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Cups of cooked rice

1/2 bread crumbs

3 Tbs of butter

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Other seasonings (if desired sometimes I use curry, sometimes I use thyme and sage, whatever, you decide!)

To Prepare:

-Chop all veggies so they are ready to go.

-Grate cheese, set aside.

-Pull eggs out of fridge, set aside to get to room temperature.

-Saute onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms.

-After the onion mixture is cooked down, throw greens on top to cook.

-Put in a bowl to cool down to room temperature.

-Set oven to 425 degrees

-Add cooked rice to cooled mixture.

-Add 3/4 cup of cheese.

-Add Eggs.

-Stir.

-Grease with butter a 9 inch spring-form pan.

-Add 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs to pan and make sure all sides are coated with crumbs.

-Put cooked rice mixture into pan.

-Combine the rest of the breadcrumbs with the rest of the cheese.

-Sprinkle breadcrumb/cheese mixture of top of uncooked torta.

-Dot with butter.

-Put in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, checking regularly to be sure it's not burning.

-When eggs appear to have set and torta looks cooked through, you are ready to eat!

We always find this dish is better once it has cooled down.  I usually make it in the morning and we enjoy it at night with a salad, it's light and yummy.  Bon Appetite!