Torta Italian Quiche

MYFOXNY.COM - In Friday's Good Day Cafe, Rockaway Park resident Ron Maestri perpared his recipe for torta- an Italian quiche.

Check out the video of Maestri on Good Day NY.  Watch the video, left.

Torta recipe

Ingredients:
6 large brown potatos
1 large brown onion
1 stick of real butter (must use real butter, no substitutes or margarine)
1 bar of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
white flour
water
oil
salt
pepper
parmesan cheese

Dice one large brown onion into very fine dice squares and saute in 1/2 stick of butter (best with a full stick) until onions have been completely absorbed and soft. This mixture is added to our potao mixture filling, along with all other ingredients and instructions from original recipe.

With that same saucepan you sauteed the onions, my grandmother used to like to pour the milk and egg topping mixture into it, using whatever heat remained to help it along before pouring over the entire panned filling/crust and topping with parmesan.
I woke up in the middle of the night last night realizing I forgot to include these very important steps!

The dough: Start with a mound of flour, adding an egg, enough water and oil to knead into a crust large enough to spread thin over a large rectangular baking sheet. It is important to oil the pan before spreading the dough (crust) over the entire pan, with enough on all sides to allow for about an inch of overlap.
 

The filling: In a large stock pot, boil 6 large potatoes. DO NOT PEEL FIRST.
Once the potatoes are soft, drain water and by hand (holding each one in a paper towel clanket), carefully peel the skin from each one, leaving only the soft potato.  There is no shortcut to this process. 

Toss each peeled potato into a large mixing bowl.
Once completed, mash the potatos fine with a potato masher.
Then add 1 full stick of butter, 1 full bar of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of milk and another egg to mixture, mashing again until a thick creamy substance. Add salt and pepper to taste (more pepper than salt). Pour entire mixture over the crust, spreading evenly throughout. Now, take the dough overlaps and cup onto the edges ofg the mixture, folding over.

The topping: in a small bowl, mix 1 egg with a 1/2 cup of milk. Pour this mixture over the entire filling. Liberally sprinkle parmesan cheese throughout.  

Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, allowing time to cool.

Cut into even squares (as many as possible) and enjoy the ride.