Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Torta
Equal parts comfort and sophistication, this torta toes the line between hearty main and delicate appetizer. Flaky crespelle pastry with a rich besciamella sauce and sweet Italian sausage produce a dish worthy of every minute of effort.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
for crespelle
for filling
for besciamella sauce
for assembly
Preparation
make crespelle
Step 1
Blend together the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 2
Lightly brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with melted butter and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet, tilting and rotating the skillet to coat the bottom, then pour any excess batter back into the bowl. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crespella.) Cook until just set and underside is lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then invert the crespella onto a clean kitchen towel to cool completely. (It will be cooked on one side only.)
Step 3
Make 5 more crespelle with remaining batter in same manner, brushing skillet with melted butter as needed.
make filling
Step 4
Cut off and discard 1 inch from stem ends of broccoli rabe, then coarsely chop remainder.
Step 5
Cook the broccoli rabe in an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well in a colander and pat dry.
Step 6
Cook the garlic with the red pepper flakes in the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe and cook, tossing to coat with sausage, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
make besciamella sauce
Step 7
Heat the butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until the foam subsides, then add the flour and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Add the milk in a slow stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and cheese, then remove from the heat.
assemble torta
Step 8
Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Invert the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan (torta will be easier to slide off bottom when serving), then lock. Wrap the outside of the entire bottom of the pan with a double layer of foil. Generously brush the inside bottom and side of the pan with butter, then sprinkle the bottom with bread crumbs.
Step 9
Stir together the cheese in a bowl. Put one crespella in the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle with one-sixth of the filling and drizzle with 1/3 cup sauce. Make 5 more layers each of crespella, filling, and sauce (end with a layer of sauce). Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over the top.
Step 10
Bake, uncovered, until the top is bubbling and golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 15 minutes. Remove the side of the pan and carefully slide the torta off the bottom of the pan onto a plate. Cut torta into wedges.
do ahead
Step 11
The BROCCOLI RABE can be cooked and drained 1 day ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before using.
Step 12
The SAUCE can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.
Step 13
The CRESPELLE can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
