Torta di Formaggio (Savory Cheese Torte)

This is something I came up with while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my ricotta cheese from a lasagna that I made earlier! It is just as good as a vegetarian dish by omitting the lard-based crust and sausage. I have made this several times and get rave reviews every time!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 450 Calories

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 zucchinis, thinly sliced
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash®)
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 (16 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• ¼ pound crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 ½ pounds bulk Italian sausage
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
• 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Asiago cheese shavings

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Step 2

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 3

Fit each pie pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Prick each crust several times with a fork.

Step 4

Bake crusts in preheated oven until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

Step 5

Mix mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl; set aside.

Step 6

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Transfer sausage to a large mixing bowl.

Step 7

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir zucchinis, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper in butter until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrots, mushrooms, and garlic; cook and stir until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes more. Drain any excess moisture from the vegetable mixture.

Step 8

Divide vegetable mixture into 2 even portions. Spread about half of one portion of the vegetable mixture into the bottom of each pie crust. Spread half the sausage over each vegetable layer. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese mixture evenly over the sausage layer.

Step 9

Beat eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk attachment. Switch speed to high and slowly stream cream into the eggs while beating; beat for 3 minutes. Add ricotta cheese, sea salt, oregano, basil, garlic and herb seasoning blend, and garlic powder to the egg mixture; beat until smooth. Pour about half the mixture into each pie shell and top with remaining vegetable mixture.

Step 10

Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.