Phyllo Ricotta Torte with Spring Herbs

from Melissa Clark’s May 18, 2016 New York Times recipe

adapted by Kathy Lindenbaum

preparation time: 2 hours plus 1 hour for cooling

serves 12 or more

3 large eggs

1½ pounds whole-milk ricotta

½ cup shredded ricotta salata

¼ cup shredded pecorino Romano

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup (plus small amount for garnish) chopped fresh herbs

(dill, mint, sorrel, chives, parsley, arugula, etc.)

¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1-pound box phyllo dough, thawed overnight in the fridge

½ cup diced prosciutto, ham, or back bacon

½ cup cubed mozzarella

Sriracha or pesto mayonnaise for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a Bundt pan with butter.

In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Break up the ricotta into the eggs, and add the ricotta salata,

pecorino Romano and pepper.  When well combined, fold the herbs into the mixture. 

Drape 2 sheets of phyllo on top of the Bundt pan. Poke a hole into phyllo where the center tube is, and push the phyllo into the pan bottom and sides to line it.  Do this with 2 more sheets placed perpendicular to the first 2 sheets.  Continue adding phyllo sheets in this crisscross manner until all sheets are used and the inside of the Bundt pan is thoroughly covered with dough.  The edges of the phyllo should hang over the edge of the Bundt pan. 

If you pick up 1.5 or 3 sheets or the sheets tear, just continue to lay them in a crisscross pattern.  It doesn’t matter at all if it looks a bit messy – the point is to layer the whole Bundt pan with phyllo and have it pressed into the bottom and sides of the pan.  But, you do need to have the phyllo leaves hang over the side so that you can wrap them over the bottom at the end of this preparation.

Spoon half of the ricotta mixture evenly into the pan. Scatter the meat over that, then top with mozzarella.  Spoon the rest of the ricotta mixture evenly on top.  Fold the edges of the phyllo over the filling, covering completely.  Using a sharp knife or skewer, poke at least 20 holes in the dough that reach all the way to the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour the melted butter over the torte – some butter will seep through the holes, and some will remain pooled on top of the dough.

Place the finished Bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 1¼  to 1½ hours, or until the torte is puffy and golden brown.  Check at 1 hour to see how fast it is browning.  It will turn a deep golden brown, but you don’t want it to get dark brown as it could take on a bitter taste.

Allow the torte to cool in the pan for 1 or 2 hours before inverting it onto a cutting board or plate.  Slice into individual servings using the Bundt pan indentations as a guide.

Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha or pesto mayonnaise and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

Melissa Clark gives helpful hints which I’ve mostly included here, emphasizing that it’s hard to make a mistake in this recipe, even though we think of phyllo dough as delicate and difficult to work with.  And, there is a picture of the Torte, which might help you visualize the finished product.  She says you can skip the meat and use all greens and herbs – provided you keep the ratio of 1.5 pounds of ricotta to 3 eggs.