Layered Vegetable Torte
Updated August 5, 2024
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into ¼-inch slices
4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices, optional
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt
Black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
½ cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
58 grams carbs; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 422 calories; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 12 grams fiber; 1315 milligrams sodium; 9 grams protein; 15 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and bell pepper, if using, lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.
- Step 2
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, if using, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.
- Step 3
Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Private Notes
Comments
The vegetables can be roasted/grilled up to a day before final assembly. It is a summer favorite.
Mark's recipes are all about flexibility. Make it your own. I prefer to slice the tomatoes as I go because I always use more than specified. I add a sprinkle of garlic, basil and Parmesan to each of the layers and top it with tomatoes, garlic, basil, Panko and parmesan. Bake on a sheet pan and rest at least 20 minutes. Hot or room temperature is excellent. Do not reheat; it turns to mush.
Fabulous recipe! Followed the suggestion below to add red bell pepper slices, used shallots instead of garlic and dotted each layer with goat cheese to add a bit more protein. Loved the goat cheese flavor with the veggies.
I love this recipe which I make slightly differently adding grilled red or yellow peppers and using a terrine mold lined with blanched leek leaves. After it's baked, the terrine is overturned and when it's cut, the slices look like a rainbow-colored 7-layer cake.
The cook mode feature seems to have been redesigned and I think it is excellent. No more going back and forth between ingredients and instructions. Thanks to whoever did a thoughtful job.
The key here is "grilling". I roasted the vegetables and it just lacked flavor. Certainly not worth the time and effort.
Absolutely delicious. Versatile. Don't scimp on the basil.