SC - Torta Bourbonnaisse and Bleta - non-member submission

[Michael F. Gunter]

I redacted a version of the Torta Bourbonnaisse from Platina last night
- -- yummy.  One question, though, the recipe calls for Bleta.  After a
bit of web searching, I believe this is what's known as Strawberry Blite

(Blitum), which is a European dunghill herb.  Needless to say, it's not
available commercially in the US.  Since Platina describes it as the
lightest variet of green garden vegetable,I substituted romaine Lettuce.

 However, I'm not sure that that's a reasonable substitute (gives a
similar flavor).  Any suggestions?


Anyhow, here's the translation and the redaction:

Cut up and grind as much rich cheese as I said for the White Torta.  And

add bleta, parsley, marjoram rinsed and cut up, four eggs well beaten,
ground pepper, a little saffron, a quantity of liquamen or butter, and
mix with your hands, so that it mearly forms one mass.  I the same way,
put it into a pan, with a bottom crust, and place it on the hearth.
When it is half cooked, to make it seem more colorful pour over it an
egg beaten with saffron.  It should be done when the upper crust rises.
This is even worse [unhealthy] than the torta above [e.g. cheesecake]

5 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzeralla cheese
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/4 cup melted or softened butter
1 tsp fresh marjoram chopped
1/2 cup broad leaf parsley, chopped
2 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
3 or 4 threads saffron
1 pie shell and 9 or 10" pan (this makes a reasonable 10" pie, or very
full 9" pie)

Beat four eggs together.  Mix in cheese and blend (I used a hand mixer,
although this could be done equally well by hand or with a spoon).  Mix
in Pepper and saffron and butter.  Fold in herbs so that they are well
distributed through the pie.

Preheat oven to 450, bake pie shell for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven
and lower heat to 375ish.  Spread mixture in pan, return to oven.  Back
25 - 30 minutes (until the top is golden and puffed up.).  If you want
to make it look evenly gold on top, mix a couple threads of saffron with

a beaten egg and pour over the top 15-20 minutes after you put the pie
in the oven.  Can be served hot or cold (I hope, since I'm planning on
serving it cold)

toodles, margaret