This is an incredible recipe! A must for any good dinner party. It should be sliced thin, as it is very heavy. I've served it both hot and cold, and cold is easier to cut. Don't cut corners with the prociutto - It is definitely worth it. This crust recipe is very easy to work with, also.
I've been looking for a torta recipe for along time. This made it worth the wait. It was the most requested recipe at my cocktail party last night. The crust is wonderful and very easy. I wilted fresh spinach (one bag of pre-washed salad spinach) and thoroughly dried the red pepper strips on paper towels. Next time I make it, I will reduce the ricotta filling by 1/3 and, instead, add another layer of the peppers - i.e. use the whole jar. I will also add a little onion to the ricotta mixture for a little more flavor. Make sure that the crust truly does not extend beyond the edge of the springform pan. If it does, you won't be able to remove the side ring without breaking the edges of your pretty crust :>(
I'm excited to try other variations... I'll start with Italian sausage and sauteed mushrooms with fresh spinach. This recipe is a real keeper - delicious and very showy. I felt I got great return for my money and investment of time.
I found it extremely easy to make this dough in the food processor. All of these flavors were fabulous together (it smelled so delicious baking, we couldn't wait the 45 minutes for it to cool). I most likely won't add the feta next time, as I really couldn't taste it. I did add olives and a top layer of sharp provolone (very tasty)...I may try additional ingredients next time also (i.e. sauted onions, mild sausage, etc.). Overall...great.
Beautiful recipe when sliced. A real wow-getter. Lotta work though. But if it's a special recipe for a special occasion you're needing this is it. Very Italian too. =)
The crust is great and easy to work with. I substituted pepperoni for the prosciutto. The next time I make it I will be adding sauted onions and garlic to add a bit more flavor.
Tasted good and went together easily but very time-consuming. I would add some sauteed garlic next time.
This takes time to put together, but it is really remarkably simple for such a spectacular result. The crust holds together well, is easy to roll, and can be pressed into the pan without incident. The flavor is phenomenal. This is a great recipe!
This was delicious and gets 5 stars for the leftovers. Fresh and cooled, same day, this gets 4 stars. I was so worried it would get soggy over night if made the day before, so I woke up early Easter to assemble and bake this for brunch. It was really delicious and easier to make than you think (I prepped all the night before, assembly in the morning was quick and easy would recommend this for everyone). BUT BEWARE- I asked everyones advice and came to a conclusion it would be soggy leftover and best eaten same day, BUT it was sooo much better the next 2 days. The flavors were not melded when eaten on Easter, and although it was good, it was much better after sitting a day in the fridge and slighly warmed up. The flavors really came out after a day or so, and I wish I had made it the night before it would have been much more flavorful for the in-laws I was trying to impress. Was still good, but much better the next day. I did use the whole jar of peppers, was not much so I assume only using 1/2 is not enough. Take a risk and use all the red peppers. I also added provolone and did an Italian 5 cheese blend instead of just mozzarella.
The flavor of this torta was good but the texture was a miss. Neither ricotta nor feta are smooth cheeses and the addition of cornmeal to the crust lended a gritty feel to this. This was not complicated to make but it is time consuming. Although this makes a beautiful presentation I would not make again based on prep time and mouth feel.
