Good to see you again, Ms. Tourte Milanese! You’re looking as beautiful as ever!
Yes, there is a story behind that unusual welcome to an edible, inanimate object. I’m weird, but not that weird. I hope.
Remember when I told you about the computer crash of 2011 where I lost almost everything? It was mainly tons of photos of some of the best goodies I’ve ever made, most of them pretty labor intensive. You see, I was on this roll from September 2010 to January 2011; a fancy shmancy crazy roll. Once or twice a week I was creating showstopping sweet and savory dishes like they were going out of style, and as luck would have it, getting some good clicks of them.
It was an amazing food blog run, and I had about 7 posts lined up. The posts weren’t written, but the photos were ready..tucked in and snug as a bug in a rug in my photo program, waiting until I was ready to write and post.
Then, the crash.
A twist on Crack Pie, White Chocolate Sachertorte, Tarta de Santiago, 12-Layer Macadamia Nougatine Milk Chocolate Torte (the macadamia nougatine chocolate ganache counted as a layer, not 12 layers of cake!), Cassoulet (which I had to make again immediately since it was a challenge I was hosting) , a Gateua Basque, beautiful Quince-Fig Tarts with Frangipane, and this Tourte Milanese. There were other potential posts lost, but those bothered me the most, especially the 12-Layer Torte, White Chocolate Sachertorte, Gateau Basque, Sfogliatelle, Baumkuchen, Lou Fassum, Thia Steamed Coconut Pandan Cake, (makin’ you all work..enjoy!) and Tourte Milanese.
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I cried when I was told that the drive was so damaged there was no way of recovering the photos. I cursed and screamed, but it wasn’t going to bring them back. I threw something; I think it was a banana, but all that did was leave a smudge on the wall.
I’m not a violent person by any stretch (well, depending on the situation), but, damn, when you put so much heart, time and intensity into something, and then it vanishes into thin air, you need to throw something at something. Think of those who don’t back up 100’s of pages of a book they’ve been writing for a year or more and lose it in one fell swoop – forever.
Now I pay for an online backup service, and it’s more than worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I always had backup before that, I just put it off for a few months, never thinking it would happen so quickly. What were the chances?
The worst part is, only those 5 creations were annihilated. Most of the so-so potential post photos were recovered or partially recovered. It freakin’ figures.
I never posted the so-so potential posts.
It still bugs me to this day because I will never recreate any of those tourte photos. I had every step snapped, and for once, I was happy with the results. With artificial light, I didn’t think I could ever do better than those, so I never even attempted to recreate any of them. The amount of photos plus post processing was staggering; it was hours and hours of work. No way, no how.
Well, apparently my stubbornness and laziness are not as set in stone as I thought. Once I saw the theme for this month’s Daring Cooks challenge, ‘en croute’, the Tourte Milanese resurfaced aggressively, and I couldn’t pry it out of my frontal lobes. I knew it was finally time to erase the misery of those lost photos and just do it again. I was a mixed bag of excitement (because I love making it) and dread (the thought of all the photo work made me queasy), but with a few days to go, I let it loose and ran with it.
I had to make this tourte easier or I wouldn’t do it, so I bought the puff pastry dough. I had no more homemade puff pastry in my freezer, and I wasn’t going to make the puff pastry from scratch this time, no matter how much I enjoy doing so. Time is an issue..energy is an issue. Purchased puff pastry or bust.
The Tourte Milanese and photos didn’t turn out as nice as the 2010 annihilated batch, but I’m happy with them nonetheless, and glad I could finally share it with you all.
Now to the lady whose blog name I love;
Our lovely Monkey Queen of Don’t Make Me Call My Flying Monkeys, was our May Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to dive into the world of en Croute! We were encouraged to make Beef Wellington, Stuffed Mushroom en Croute and to bring our kids into the challenge by encouraging them to create their own en Croute recipes!
Please excuse the hideous photos of the spinach layers, below. The spinach was too dark to get a decent photo of with the artificial light. Also, please excuse the fact that I didn’t shoot the Tourte Milanese in one place as I added each layer, which would have been a much cooler gif ; you know, like it built itself.
I made individual beef wellingtons back in 2010 for another en croute challenge so naturally I wanted to go in another direction ‘en croute’ wise. The Tourte Milanese was perfect in that respect and it is ‘en croute’, or in layman’s terms, encased in dough, so I am following the rules, I think..I hope.
I’m not sure if this Tourte Milanese is Italian in origin or a tribute to Italy via the French, or just Michel Richard, since the layers, yellow representing white (what white-ish food is better than light and floofy scrambled whole eggs?) pretty much correspond to the colors of the Italian flag. Milanese is well..from Milan.
Although this Tourte Milanese looks difficult, it isn’t. You cook eggs and spinach and roast red bell peppers. The rest is rolling out dough and layering ham and cheese along with the three, and that’s it – unless you feel the need to butcher a pig and make cheese. It makes a beautiful brunch treat or anytime main dish and a definite crowdpleaser! Switch out some of the ingredients for ingredients you like; for instance, broccoli instead of spinach, turkey instead of ham, cheddar cheese instead of Swiss. Endless and adaptable options.
We love this with a salad of herby, dressed microgreens. I know, fancy pants.
Oh, the 10 eggs? Remember, this tourte serves anywhere from 6 to 8 people, depending on the size of the slices. That’s about an egg per person. It sounds much worse than it actually is.
Tourte Milanese
- 1 pound puff pastry, chilled - homemade or purchased. If using purchased puff pastry, roll both sheets together to make 1 lb, then cut off ¼ lb for the top of the torte. Use any scraps to cut out designs for the top, if desired.
- 10 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons snipped fresh tarragon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 large red bell peppers
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1½ pounds spinach, trimmed and washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese or Gruyere, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces smoked or honey ham, thinly sliced
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt
- Prepare the pastry: Generously butter an 8½-inch springform pan. Cut off one quarter of the pastry, cover, and set aside. Roll out remaining puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a ¼-inch thick round. Carefully fit the pastry into the pan, pressing to get a smooth fit, leave a 1-inch overhang. Roll out the smaller piece of pastry until it is ¼ inch thick. Cut out an 8-inch circle of dough for the top of the torte and lift it onto a plate or baking sheet. Cover both the crust and the lid with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. If using scraps for cut-out designs, like leaves, place the cut-outs on a separate plate, cover with plastiv wrap and chill in fridge along with top and lined springform pan.
- Make the Eggs: Whisk eggs, herbs, salt and pepper together. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat and pour in the eggs. Gently but constantly stir the eggs around in the pan, pulling the eggs that set into the center of the pan. Slide the eggs onto a plate, without mounding them, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. You want a loose, soft scramble since the eggs will be baking for a little over an hour.
- Roast the peppers: Place whole and untrimmed, directly over the flame of a gas burner. As soon as one portion of a peppers skin is charred, turn the pepper. When black and blistered all over, drop into a bowl...cover with plastic wrap and let steam (I throw them all in a paper or large ziplock bag and seal it shut) for about 20 minutes. Use your fingers to rub off skin - DO NOT rinse under water; you lose flavor. Cut each pepper once from top to bottom, cut away the stem, then open the peppers and lay them flat. Trim away the inside veins and discard the seeds; season peppers with salt and pepper and set aside, covered, until needed.
Alternatively, lay the peppers on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler, turning them as each side chars, then continue as instructed above.
Note - The peppers release a lot of liquid once roasted. Make sure the peppers are dry (blot with paper towels) before adding them to the tourte. I cut up the roasted peppers because sometimes you end up with large or whole pieces pulling out with each forkful. - Cook the Spinach: in a large quantity of boiling salted water for 1 minute to blanch it. Drain spinach in a colander, rinse with cold water, and press it to extract all of the excess moisture. Heat the oil, butter, and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add blanched spinach and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and add the heavy cream if using. Bring quickly to a boil and stir so it mixes with the spinach, letting it reduce. Remove the spinach from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Once it's cooled, squeeze as much liquid out as you can, and season with a little more salt and pepper before adding it to the tourte.
- Assemble the Torte: Remove the pastry-lined springform pan from the refrigerator and layer the filling ingredients in the following order: (quick tip: Sprinkle a little dry bread crumbs or grated Italian hard cheese on the bottom of the raw crust before adding first layer of scrambled eggs to protect against a soggy bottom crust).
-half the eggs
-half the spinach
-half the ham
-half the cheese
-all the roasted peppers (season them with salt and pepper), laid flat
Continue layering in reverse order
-remaining half of cheese
-remaining half of ham
-remaining half of spinach
-remaining half of eggs
With each layer, make certain that the ingredients are spread to the edge of the pan. - Fold the excess crust in over the filling, and brush the rim of crust you've created with the egg wash. Center the rolled-out top crust over the torte and gently push the edge of the top crust down into the pan, pressing and sealing the top and bottom crusts along the sides. Brush the top with the egg wash and cut a vent in the center of the crust. Use the point of the knife to etch a design in the top crust, taking care to cut only halfway into the dough. Chill the fully loaded tourte for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.
- Twenty minutes prior to baking; position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake the Tourte: Place the torte on a jelly-roll pan, give it another coat of egg wash, and bake it for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until puffed and deeply golden. Remove from the oven and let rest on a rack until it reaches room temperature. Run a blunt knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan and release the sides. Let cool for 20 - 30 minutes before cutting. I let it cool for 1 hour before cutting because it still felt like it would fall apart upon cutting after 30 minutes.
I love the different layers it looks so exquisite and I bet was delicious. I make something very similar for picnic.
Yours Audax
Wow this is stunning! And your pics are impecable. You know how I also made the la brea sourdough and had an infatuation with it like you? I also made this tourte many times, but that was before blogs existed. So many brunches and buffet parties had this on the table, and people swooned. Girl, I think we have very similar food tastes. This is awesome, and no more work than a tall layer cake. Now I know where to link the stepbystep pics when I make it!
It looks amazing! That is a speciality I will try making very soon. I’m bookmarking your recipe.
Cheers,
Rosa
Beautiful. I used to make these for Teacher Appreciation luncheons. Two tips:
1. Make sure there is as little liquid as possible in the filling. Drain the peppers well before layering them in, squeeze liquid out of the spinach before adding a bit of cream, etc.
2. Put a layer of cheese in the bottom, before the other ingredients. Doing these things helps to prevent a soggy bottom.
I also liked to butter the pan really well before putting the pastry in, and I just used peppers from a jar after the first couple of times I made it, without any noticeable difference in the end product. I experimented with different cheeses, too. I found that anything that melts nicely, like gruyere, emmenthaler, bel paese, edam, fontina, muenster, etc., is good.
Thanks for your tips, telesma. Number one I always do so I will add it to the instructions 🙂 I’ve also sprinkled the bottom with a little dried bread crumbs before putting in the eggs, although I didn’t do it for this one. Will try your cheese tip too!
How about blind baking the bottom crust first? Good for Wellingtons too.
Jay
Hi, Jay. I never even entertained the idea, just followed Michel’s instructions verbatim, but it sounds like a good one! As I mentioned in the directions, I sometimes brush it with egg white, then once the egg white dries, sprinkle with parmesan cheese to insure no soggy crust. That said how long would you blind bake it, and of course it’s docked prior, right?
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Despite your computer crashing, you are awesome for making this absolutely incredible tourte again! 🙂
I love the different layers and your photos are stunning!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
WOW! That has got to be the most gorgeous thing I have seen on a cooking blog! I have never heard of an en croute.
I am not sure I could make it, as hubby would not eat it, but if I ever get invited to a fancy party I may give this a try! Thank you!
My oh my, that is a work of art! So glad that you enjoyed the challenge. Thank you so much for participating. Beautiful job!!
this is truly an amazing and beautiful dish–thanks for making it look so beautiful, yet writing it to make it so easy. it’s the ONLY way i ever would have attempted something like this…
i first saw something like this in one of my favorite movies, ”Big Night” (Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rosselini), about two Italian brothers and their NJ or NY restaurant. it’s a wonderful movie with lots of food in it, if you haven’t seen it. anyway, i wonder if the ‘final’ dish in the movie is a gigantic version of this?? too beautiful…. 🙂
I remember Big Night Wasn’t it a Timpano they made? All that Italian goodness wrapped in dough?
yeah:) i guess i got the name wrong–but is it the same idea only taller? the Tourte is a little more doable, for me anyway…
Oh..no, I didn’t look it up, I was inquiring as to whether or not it was a Timpano. Same idea..a meal in dough, although ‘that’ timpano was on a much larger scale!
That is just so beautiful and colourful!
This is beyond DELICIOUS! You are an amazing kitchen witch.
p.s I usually throw my cats onto the sofa….and they always landed safely with 4 paws on it and started purring…
Words of wisdom 🙂
This is stunning, Lisa. Layers of delicious encased in pastry – holy moly! I can’t stop staring at the animation — egg spinach ham cheese pepper cheese ham egg pastry spinach egg ham egg ham …. um, I think I may have short-circuited. :/
What a great plant that has this recipe is riquisima and beautiful, great photos Congratulations. You’re a good cook
I appreciate you made me a visit.
I send you a warm hug
Vicente Sagunto
I would’ve screamed too if I lost all those posts. But it gave you the reason to make this amazing tourte one more time (I’m sure D didn’t mind:)All the layers are so perfect. I know the eggs seems like a lot but when you break it down, it’s not at all. Your photos captured the deliciousness of this, Lisa. xx
Lisa, this is stupendous! What an amazing recipe and how gorgeous yours is! A stunner! So sorry about your pics – but hey when my old computer died I almost lost 5 years of genealogy research and did lose many of the photos – scans of pics people had sent me. So don’t freak, baby, look what happens when you make the recipe again – gorgeous pictures AND you get to eat it again. This Tourte is soooo bookmarked! And I love the how-to slide show! xoxo
OMG! This looks amazing, and I thought the pictures looked great! I am having a birthday brunch for a friend, and this is definitely going to be my main course! Thanks for taking the time to recreate it so that everyone can enjoy it!
Thank you, Lori! It’s such an impressive and delicious creation..Michel Richard is a genius! I know you’ll love it, but let me know how it turns out for you anyway! 🙂
Saw this in G+ and it looks gorgeous. I’m surely making this soon.
The tourte looks stunning! I would be devastated if I had made something like this from scratch and lost all my pictures, so I completely understand. I’m glad you finally remade it and shared it because it sounds amazing!
As always, your creations leave me amazed and breathless. This is gorgeous!! And sounds mouth-wateringly delicious! Wow!
That looks stunning and I bet it tasted amazing. I seriously want to make one… or something based on it… like, soon! 🙂 It looks kind of fun to make, and I bet it gets all kinds of “oohs” and “aahs” when you pull out that first slice!
Oh my gosh, what a gorgeous post, and those photos at the bottom…magic! I love anything en croute….this would be a lovely company dish. Great choice…
What a sad story! It is funny that you threw a banana though! This torte looks amazing. Let’s hope there’s never any more crashes!
Oh goodness me, what a beautiful recipe! This really sounds like a perfect, and completely filling recipe, AND so perfect for any party! Seriously you just freaked me out, I have been meaning to place many of my photos on our external drive…..and I keep putting it off….aaaahhhh:-) I am so glad you were able to share your lovely recipe with us! Hugs, Terra
Wow what a beautiful post and your photos are stunning. The overhead shots of each layers is amazing and I am sure a lot of work. Looks better than anything I ate on any trips in Europe. Was wondering since you use 10 eggs can you substitute one Ostrich egg? 🙂 Nice work as always.
Lisa, I am SO glad you remade this amazing torte…it’s just stunning! Truly a work of art. And I love the last photo series with the layering…wow!!!
Lisa that is a KILLER tourte! So amazing, love the colors. A lot of work too. Glad you got to work out some anger from those lots shoots. I remember it so well.
What a beautiful and impressive presentation this is! I love all of your visuals! Another success! I would love a fork to dig right in:)
Looks great! My husband actually has a business recovering hard drives. Do you still have your dead one? I’ve had friends think there was no way he could get them but it didn’t hurt to try and he recovered their files. I’m sure you have access to my email on here. Shoot me an email if you want to discuss hard drive recovery. I can direct you to his site or Facebook page.
Thank you, Mrs. Gokev, but, unfortunately, that HD was ditched or lost between moves. I have no clue what happened to it, and did look for it for some time when someone said they could definitely recover the files regardless of the damage. IF I do ever find it, I will be sure to contact you ASAP!
So sorry about the computer crash….I wouldn’t even wish that on my worst enemy (not that I have one) and I know how much time and effort are put into each recipe, making and photography a dish! But this is life…crazy things happen.
On a lighter note, this Tourte Milanese is stunning and gorgeous. What a show stopper! I can’t wait to give this a try. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend ahead.
Glad you decided to give the recipe another go so you could share it with all of us. The photos look beautiful and tourte looks absolutely delish! On a side note, this is the first post I am writing. I have been following some of your recipes for a while but only recently started actually reading Bad Boy First Love. I seriously read all 20 parts in one sitting a few days ago. I can’t wait to hear the ending; I can’t imagine what it was like having to wait in between so many parts! I’m seriously dying to know and it’s only been a few days. So anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing the great recipes and the intriguing stories of your past!
Mel…thank you so much for your kind words about the Tourte Milanese. Definitely worth a try! As for the story..I feel so awful! I realized that by trying to end it with every part, I’m delaying it for long periods, so I decided to just write and it ends when it ends. It should be up next week 🙂
I’m sure everyone is enjoying reading your history as you write it no matter how long they wait. It wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining of a story if you didn’t give so many great details, and that of course takes time. We may wait a couple of months for each part which I’m sure is nothing in comparison to living through it all! So with that I look forward to the closing of the story and to many more fabulous recipes 🙂
Thanks, Mel! Truth be told, I split the last part into two parts..the second part being the end, but then I realized that second half was lacking a lot of those details by itself. Now I’m working it on it bit by bit, making sure I can get as much in as possible.
This is gorgeous…it was obviously meant to be done again, photographed again and most certainly eaten again!
I use an online backup service too; so many people avoid the idea of paying for any services but this one is worth every single damn penny! I didn’t have a crash but I did get a new computer. Oh joy it was SO easy to transfer my data.
I just have one word to say- Wow!
Your Tourte Milanese looks absolutely AMAZING!
I just have to make this! Yummm….
Your creations are incredible as always
This torte is just beautiful and I love the filling that’s layered. Thanks for the slide show to make it easier for novices like me! Okay, also wanted to let you know that I just finished your part 20 after reading for two days. Is part 21 coming soon? I’m so into your story..it’s like I’m there with you. I think I have a crush on Dreamboat!!! haha!
You’re so so sweet, Angela! Part 21 should be up soon..I’m chugging along as best I can, but so glad you’ve enjoyed it thus far 🙂
A wonderful & very appetizing & well flavoured 1 pot meal but in this lovely layered form, who wouldn’t love a big slice of this tasty colourful beauty????
I think I’d be tempted to go into a deep depression if I lost all that work, but I generally just throw my hands up and start a whole new thing (career). I’ve started over (in life) so many times!
Oh, but this Tourte Milanese looks magnificent…I would feel so pampered to have a slice! Your photos look great to me…definitely a wow presentation!
I am a relatively new reader of your blog, so I didn’t know about your crash! That is sooo sad. But I’m really glad that you made this Tourte again – it is gorgeous!! Looks so delicious.
Have made this before and it is awesome. Changed a few items to fit my taste…salami and provalone for the second level as well as ham and swiss. You can really change this up numerous ways. It does take a little time to build but worth the effort and such a presentation!
Oooh…salami and provolone sound wonderful! I was thinking of turkey and brie..maybe even a little fruit, like dates or figs 🙂
I don’t know how I missed this but holy cow, I can’t wait to try this.
I don’t know what I’d do if I lost that much work. I’d definitely do more than throw a banana.
Another masterpiece, Lisa. I would have cried too. I admire you bouncing back, it ain’t an easy feat. The photos here are pretty epic especially the third one, immediately after the grouping!
I have never heard of the Tourte Milanese but it is truly a work of art! I can only imagine the fiesta going on in one’s mouth while eating this !
I don’t know why I didn’t get an email for this one Lisa. It’s absolutely amazing. Such an amazing pie, far better than meat and potatoes!
Oh LIsa, it looks amazing (as usual!) Love the little GIF at the end, and seriously, even with good light I can’t get any half way decent photos. Your photos are fantastic.
Looks difficult, but isn’t!? Hmm, I’ll get back to you on that one when I make it – this is the perfect dish to really impress your guests (if indeed it’s as easy as you say it is) because it’s elegant and looks stunning! I think the photos look fabulous – sometimes we imagine things that we’ve lost to be better than they were – not minimizing your loss (what a nightmare!) but you know what I mean 🙂
First time here and loved your space. Computer crash is a common problem, I think, like you, I must have a backup as well. Once some of my recipe pictures were gone, which could not be recovered. This Torte is mind-blowing! I loved the layers…yum!
http://www.cosmopolitancurrymania.com
Absolutely gorgeous!
I love your pictures and recipes, they are mouth watering. Would love for you to share them with us at foodieportal.com. Over at foodieportal.com we are not photography expert snobs, we are just foodies, so pretty much all your pictures will get accepted.
I’ve been checking every day for an update to the dreamboat story…. Are we getting close?
Hi, Kim! Monday at the latest 🙂
Gorgeous!
I really dislike when computers have tizzy fits and loose data and crash. I am glad you did not and were strong and persistant as this is a thing of beauty.
Your food photos are amazing. You can share your mouth watering photos with us at foodienewz.com. foodienewz.com is a new food sharing site and we actually try our best to promote your food photos. At foodienewz.com all your food photos will be published without any editorial review so I really hope you come and join us.
Looks beautiful. Great work as always
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Fantastic recipe, the layers make the tourte look stunning!
Thank you, Roberto! I totally agree! Michel Richard is a master 🙂
Me gusta esta receta, que buena la presentación.
Thank you/Gracias, Pilar!
Exelente presentacion, y tus fotos estan impecables.
Gracias, Azucena!
You can get creative here with pastry trimmings and cut out a leaves to decorate the top, I plundered my leaf cutters from my cake decorating kit to do just this.
I do that occasionally, Lucille..and it looks so pretty!
Que belleza de torta, epero me quede como la tuya.Un abrazo y gracias.
Thank you and you’re welcome, Ana 🙂
What a lovely creation! Can’t wait to make it! Bless Hou!
Thank you! Hope you love it as much as we do 🙂
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absolutely amazing ! and your photos are talking!! self explanatory pictures! thanks a million!
You’re very welcome. Yasmine, and thank you! I hope you try it 🙂
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Can this be made the day before and reheated for brunch?
Hi, Linda. I don’t see why not, as we’ve wrapped the leftovers in foil and they heated up well. However, you do run the risk of it getting a little soggy if you bake it whole and refrigerate it unsliced. I’d wrap it up really tight in plastic wrap after it’s cooled, refrigerate it, then the next day pull of the plastic wrap, wrap it in foil and reheat it that way. I can’t recommend it 100%, but we won’t know until someone tries, right? LOL If you can, please let me know if it worked 🙂
Thanks, Lisa. I wanted to make it for a brunch after a class and have to be in the class by 10 a.m. So, I thought I’d make it the night before. If I do, after it is completely cooled, do you think it is advisable to cut it in portions, leaving it in the pan and reheat it in foil as you suggested the next morning?
I think that’s a good idea going by how our leftovers reheat, but make sure each portion is wrapped in foil so the meat and eggs don’t dry out. There’s definitely a lesser chance of sogginess when the interior is no longer encapsulated. Let me know how it turns out and how the reheating goes! 🙂
So how did the reheating go. Im curious. Would it hold overnigjt to bake the next day?
I’m hoping to hear back too, carmen 🙂
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it for Mother’s Day brunch. Do you think it would work to prepare everything ahead of time, leave in the fridge overnight, then bake it in the morning? Please let me know what you think.
Hi, Mary! Excited that you’re going to make this! That said, Hmmm..I’d be a little worried about the roasted peppers leaking and eggs possibly getting watery, but as long as you keep it in the coldest part of your fridge, I think it should be ok 🙂
Your photos make this recipe both easy to follow and very appealing. I’m making this for a friend’s birthday. Can’t wait to bake it and serve it! Thank for a great post and a great blog.
You’re so welcome, Vicky, and thank you so much for the sweet sentiment about my blog 🙂 If you run into any problems or snafus making the tourte, please don’t hesitate to contact me ASAP! Happy Birthday to your friend! I hope everyone enjoys it! xo
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Gorgeous! I’m going to make this for sure…..however; allergic to peppers. Any suggestions on substitutions?
Hi, Vicki! Thank you so much! There are a myriad of replacements for the roasted peppers because you can make this tourte your own by using ingredients you favor, such as a different meat and/or greens. For the peppers I would suggest sliced tomatoes (squeeze out the juice then salt them a little to extract more of the moisture) and the list goes on! Any cooked, thinly sliced vegetable should work well.
Dear Lisa–I’m not a blogger, but love recipes in English on some of our favorite Italian food combinations. I love the beauty and clarity of your photos and can’t wait to try this. The title of your recipe must be French–(the only “tou” word combinations in my Italian dictionary are borrowed from French). In Italian I believe you would call this Torta Milanese. Whatever you call it, this is a great time to give it a shot–since our farmer’s market is full of beautiful red peppers and fresh spinach is getting better.
Hi, Carolyn! Thank you for your sweet compliments about my photos, and thanks so much for that interesting little factoid about the name. It’s now obvious that the ‘Tourte Milanese’ is not only a fusion of French and Italian, but he ‘fused’ the name too! Tourte – French..Milanese – Italian. That said, I really hope you make it, especially with the abundance of fresh spinach and peppers at your farmer’s market! It’s such a stunner and so delicious!
Hi Lisa, any chance I can make this the night before for a 9:30 am breakfast??
Absolutely, Edith! But, I would make each component first, wrap them up in bowls separately, then assemble and bake at about 8:30 am because the risk of it getting soggy overnight, then being a little liquidy when cut into, is very possible.
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Just saw this searching for Milanese vegetables. A few questions: is it meant to be served hot and how much do you think can be made ahead?
Hi, Suzanne 🙂 It’s meant to be served hot or warm. As far as making it in advance, making the components in advance is fine, but I can’t 100% recommend putting it fully together in advance, although if you read through the comments above, I think some have with success. I just worry about sogginess due to the eggs, spinach and peppers leaking moisture into the puff pastry, overnight.
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This is a keeper. Photos wonderful and makes me want to make it right away. However, not tonight, but soon. Perhaps for Valentines brunch. Am going to use Sundried tomatoes from a jar and see how they turn out. Think bread crumbs and cheese on the bottom are good suggestions to prevent a soggy crust. Thanks for the post. Love it already! 🙂
Sun-dried tomatoes would be a delicious and wonderful addition, Nan! The great thing about this Tourte (or Torta en Italiano :)) is you can make it your own in so many ways..the possibilities are nearly endless! Thank you so much for your sweet comment, and please let me know how it turns out for you!
How about I leave out the eggs? I hate eggs. Would it ruin it? What could I substitute?
Hi, Susan. Of course you can leave out the eggs 🙂 Maybe fill the void with more cheese, spinach or meat?
Can this be made the night before and refrigerated?
Hi, Deborah, I’ve never put it together the night before, so I can’t guarantee anything, but others have and said it worked well. Personally, I’d be a little leery of sogginess, especially from the scrambled eggs, but please let me know if you do try it and how it turned out 🙂
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Gorgeous!!
To anyone that has made this:
What would work in lieu of the scrambled eggs that would compliment the rest of the ingredients and not hurt it structurally?
Thanks!
Thank you, Sab! As far as a substitution for the eggs, how about another cheese like shredded cheddar, adding a beautiful orange to the mix? OR, another veggie or meat of your choice! The beauty of this tourte is that you can switch out ingredients you don’t like or want, and add something you do like or want. No substitutions will affect the structure because the puff pastry holds it together 🙂
Wow, thanks for the speedy reply and for the suggestions.
I found this on Pinterest and am planning on making this tomorrow. I will see what veggies are available, but I’m thinking that roasted eggplant might do the trick and provide a similarly spongy texture like eggs would. We’ll see what I can find tomorrow!
Thanks again!!
-s.
I read “eggplant” and my mouth watered. In fact, I’m going to try it myself the next time I make it -, maybe sauteing it with a little garlic and oil first. Brilliant idea! Let me know how it works out, Sab!
So, I made it on Thursday and had it today (Friday). I made it a day in advance in order for it to settle and become more compact. We ate it room temp as a main picnic course and I have to say…..it was delicious!
After scoring the eggplant with a fork and brushing on some Italian salad dressing (which is what I do when I bread it for eggplant parmesan), I sautéed it, then I assembled the tourte as instructed. I used Swiss cheese and sun dried tomato smoked turkey breast. It came out divine!! This is soooo a staple now for picnics and potluck luncheons.
Thanks!!!
Sab, I can’t even begin to imagine how delicious your tourte was. Thanks to you, I’m definitely going to try it with eggplant, and that sun-dried tomato turkey breast sounds amazing! Now that’s the beauty of this tourte – you can easily make it your own with so many different ingredients! I’m thrilled that you loved it and will be making it again and again! Like I always say when someone makes and loves this tourte – Michel Richard is genius! 🙂
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Hi Lisa…I just found your blog as I searched for info on Tourte Milanese. Maybe I’m too late to get a response.
I, too, am a fan of Michel Richard…he was amazing. I just wish he had told us if it is OK to FREEZE the lovely tourte. I’d planned to make it this week, bought all the ingredients, MADE the puff pastry (now in the freezer), but I cannot proceed with the job. The party I’d planned for it had to be postponed 2 weeks. Can I go ahead and make it, then freeze it and thaw it for the party? Or is that a really bad idea? I hope you can help me decide. Thanks so much. Myrleen
Hi, Myrleen! Glad to meet a fellow Michel Richard fan! He and Jacques Pepin are two of my all-time favorite chefs! I have never made anything of theirs that didn’t turn out extraordinary. Plus, they’re both such a pleasure to watch cook and bake! That said, regarding the freezing issue; some of my readers have frozen it and said it turned out great, but personally, I’d worry about the scrambled eggs getting watery and the puff pastry soggy. I wish I could give you a definitive YES, but since I never froze it myself, I can’t. However, if you do freeze it, let me know how it turns out in the end, and I can relay that to my readers! 🙂
Just had to comment on this lovely Torta. I just bought a new springform pan that has a glass bottom, which would eliminate the problem of transferring it to a decorative dish to serve. This is going to be my contribution to an Easter Dinner I will be attending (along with a crock pot ham with brown sugar pineapple glaze) Thank you so much for a beautiful dish.
Hi, Angela! You know, I’ve seen those glass bottom springform pans many times, but never once thought about being able to use it to serve on since it resembles a glass plate! I just purchased one on Amazon before I replied to you! Thank you for opening my eyes to that (a little slow on the uptake lately!). That being said, I’m so glad you’re going to make the Tourte for Easter (and that ham sounds great!) I hope everyone loves it! If you get a chance, please let me know how it turned out for you! 🙂
Thanks for the tip Lisa. I intend to let my fingers go over to Amazon ! I love this recipe. Can’t wait to present it to the family.
You’re welcome, cybergrammy! Actually, it was Angela’s tip, and a great one at that! Looking forward to getting mine! Please let me know how the tourte turns out when you make it! 🙂
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Oh my, this looks absolutely divine!
One question though, is it possible to freeze it?
Thanks so much for sharing. I do have a question about the puff pastry recipe. On the video Julia says the ratio to make pastry flour is 3:1 which is 3c AP Flour to 1c cake flour but I see that you guys use 2¼ AP Flour to 1¼ cake flour. Has that given a much better puff pastry? Thanks for your help.
Hi, Bea, I think Julia may have been referring to her recipe and method for making puff pastry, whereas this is Michel Richard’s (the creator of this Tourte Milanese) recipe and method. It makes a perfect puff pastry, but you can always try Julia’s flour ratio, if desired. I stuck with Michel’s recipe as written in the recipe. Hope this helps!
We would like to thank you for this amazing and delicious Tourte Milanese! It was a huge hit at my daughter’s birthday soiree last week, and I’m making it again for my son’s graduation party in May! Absolutely delicious, as were the leftovers!
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