560 g Ricotta Cheese
55 g Pecorino Cheese; (freshly
-grated)
3 Cloves Garlic; (chopped)
1 ts Fresh Thyme and/or Rosemary;
-(chopped)
2 Free Range Eggs; (lightly
-beaten)
1 tb Butter; (for greasing) (1
To 2)
140 g Breadcrumbs; (fine and dry)
450 g Fresh Spinach; (cooked and
-squeezed
; dry – yields about
; 110g)
2 Sweet Red Peppers;
-(capsicums –
; chopped, sauted
; and left to cool)
***FLAGEOLET BEANS WITH
-SHALLOTS CHERVIL
; AND CREAM***
225 g Flageolet Beans; (soaked
-overnight)
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Butter
1 Shallots; (or 2 tablespoons
(1 to 2)
; onions – finely
; diced)
1 Carrot; (small – cut into
; tiny, even cubes)
1 Celery Stalk; (small – cut
-into
; tiny, even pieces)
150 ml Single Cream
3 Thyme Twigs; (chopped – or a
; pinch of dried
; thyme)
1 tb Chervil; (or parsley –
; chopped)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 / 170c / 325f. Combine the ricotta with the
pecorino, garlic, thyme and/or rosemary and eggs.
2. Butter a 2 litre baking or souffl dish and coat the inside evenly with
the breadcrumbs.
3. Divide the cheese mixture between two bowls. Combine one half with the
spinach and pour it into the crumb-lined baking dish, smoothing the top.
4. Combine the sauted pepper with the remaining cheese mixture and pour it
carefully over the spinach layer.
5. Bake the torta in the preheated oven for forty minutes. Remove from the
oven and leave to cool.
6. Chill the torta until you are nearly ready to serve. Loosen the edges
with a knife and turn out onto a plate. Let it warm to room temperature
before serving.
Flageolet Beans with Shallots Chervil and Cream
7. Pour off the soaking water from the beans and cover them with the fresh
water and bring to the boil.
8. Add the bay leaf and salt, lower the heat, and simmer gently until the
beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside, saving the broth for
another use.
9. Just before serving, melt the butter and add the shallots or onion,
carrot, and celery, and cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes.
10. Add the cream and thyme, bring to the boil, and simmer for 1 minute.
11. Then add the beans and cook until they are heated through.
12. Stir in the chervil or parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Yields
4 servings