Tomato and Two Cheese Torte

A friend gave me this recipe by Vava Berry, (a cook I hadn’t heard of but will certainly investigate further) to try and it turned out so well I just have to share it with you. It’s a bit like a Quiche but it’s cooked upside-down with a nutty crumble base and no pastry and it’s turned over at the last minute. It’s very well behaved! My adaptations/comments are in bold.

Tomato and Two Cheese Torte

Ingredients

• 400g tomatoes
• 1 teasp caster sugar
• 2 teasp balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic cloves sliced thinly
• 80g walnuts (I used cashews as we don’t like walnuts)
• 80g self raising flour plus an extra 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• 80g cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 40g Parmesan, grated
• 400g Ricotta (I used 250g Ricotta and 150g Marscapone as that’s what I had in)
• 5 medium eggs
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp mustard (I used whole grain mustard)
• 3 tbsp sage leaves, chopped finely (I used 6 sage leaves and lots and lots of torn Basil which goes so well with tomatoes)

Ingredients I forgot the Parmesan for the photo!)

How to do it

• Pre-heat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark1.
• Line a 20cms tin with parchment (loose bottomed, though this isn’t specified, it makes the turning out much easier) Place on a baking sheet in case any juices leak.
• Sprinkle the sugar and the balsamic vinegar over the bottom of the lined tin.

Sugar and balsamic vinegar on the base of the lined tin

Slice the tomatoes into 1/2 cm slices and lay them in circles on the base of the tin. Sprinkle the garlic over the tomatoes and bake for one hour.

Sliced tomatoes on the base

• Meanwhile, prepare the topping (which will will become the base when it is turned out) by putting the nuts into a plastic bag and bashing them with a rolling pin until they are crushed. Very cathartic, this! I used some plain and some salt-and-peppered nuts
  

  Cashews in bag ready to crush

• Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, as you would for a crumble.
• Mix in the crushed nuts, the grated parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper. (I used my favourite, garlic pepper) Put this mixture in the fridge for 30 mins.

Adding the parmesan and the crushed nuts

• When the tomatoes are roasted, take them out and raise the oven temp to 180C / 350F/ gas mark 4

Roasted tomatoes

• Mix the ricotta and the marscapone with the eggs, the rest of the flour, the mustard and sage or basil. Season well.

Mixing the cheeses

Adding the grain mustard and chopped herbs

Adding 4 eggs, then 5th

• Spoon the mixture over the tomatoes being careful not to disturb the tomatoes. I found pouring it over the back of a spatula worked well.

Carefully pouring the cheese mixture over the tomatoes

Pouring over the back of the spoon

• Spread the nutty crumble mixture over the top and press it down slightly.

Crumble on top and pressed down

• Cook for 40-45 minutes. The centre should feel a bit soft when pressed but not wobbly. (Mine took the full 45 mins)

Baked

• Leave to cool for at least 30 mins to set. (I left it for over an hour as we were going to eat it cool)

Cooled and lining coming off, ready to flip

• Place an inverted serving plate on the top of the tin and carefully flip it over.
• Slice and serve lukewarm or cold with a green salad or vegetables. It is truly scrumptious!

Served with green beans from the garden