Torta Salata ai Peperoni, Capperi e Tonno – Savory Pie with Peppers, Capers and Tuna recipe
Though many people associate Italian cooking with pasta dishes and hearty soups of one kind or another, there’s a very long tradition of making savory pies of the sort that the French might call a quiche. Nor is this surprising; they’re very tasty both hot and cool, and their being tasty cool makes them especially nice during the summer months.
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 55 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 7 eggs
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1/8 pound day-old bread, crust stripped away
- 1/4 pound (100 g) tuna canned in oil, drained and crumbled
- A tablespoon of minced herbs, made using parsley, salted capers, and onion grass
- 10 green olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano
- 4 tablespoons milk
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation instructions:
Stem the peppers, seed them, remove the ribs, and cut them into strips that will like flat. Run them under the broiler, skin side up, until the skins have blistered; once they have, put them in a bowl, cover them, and let them sit for a few minutes, which will allow the steam they give off to further loosen the skins. Remove the skins, running the peppers under cool water if necessary, dry the strips, and cut them into strips about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) wide.
Preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C)
Lightly beat the eggs with the milk, and stir in the cheese. Crumble and stir in the bread, followed by the tuna, the herbs, the peppers, the olives, and the tuna. Check seasoning, and give it a healthy grind of pepper from your peppermill.
Grease a non-stick mould that’s 6-8 inches in diameter with 3 tablespoons of oil and turn the mixture into it; tap the mold sharply against your work surface to dislodge any air bubbles there may be within the mixture. Bake the pie for about 25 minutes, or until it has firmed up and the surface is golden and crusty.
Remove the pie from the pan, let it rest for a few minutes, slice it into thin wedges, and serve it, if you wish, over a bed of onion grass and capers. I’d serve this as an antipasto or at a party, and accompany it with a crisp flavorful white wine, for example a Lugana.