How to Make Torta d'Erbe
Torta d'Erbe is one of those things that doesn't have a recipe. It's a sort of baked vegetable pie made from gathered vegetables, mostly green, whatever is at hand.
Our neighbor Francesca's version is a simple, crustless version of torta d'erbe. It uses steamed vegetables (in this case zucchini and onions), 4 eggs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, ricotta, salt to taste, and a dusting of nutmeg. When the vegetables are cool, everything is mixed together well with a wooden spoon.
The first step is to put the chopped up vegetables into a pan with just a little water and steam them. Drain them, and put in a bowl to cool to room temperature, then follow along with the pictures below.
It's best to start at the first one in the upper left and click the "next" button that appears on the upper right of the first picture when you mouse over it to see the pictures in order. Instructions are found at the bottom of each picture. Hopefully the picture will give you an idea of the quantities of ingredients. Everything is quite variable; the eggs will hold it all together after it cooks.
Variations on the fillings in the Torta d'Erbe
Torta d'Erbe, like Italian food in general, is regional, and depends heavily on what's available (and what's always been available in your backyard). You can use any kind of vegetables you wish. Popular are leek and potato, or you can use a combination of field greens and herbs. A Bechamel sauce can be substituted for the ricotta.
Most versions of Torta d'erbe, especially those you see in markets and at festivals, have a pastry crust.
Torta d'erbe, like bread, is best baked in a forno di legno, a wood fired oven. Around here it's done that way on our local feast days, when a communal oven can be filled with pies and meats.
Torta d'Erbe is a staple of the Lunigiana in Tuscany. It's made many different ways, with or without a pastry crust. This is the way our neighbor Francesca makes it.
