Finding Satisfaction in the Savory – Recipe: Herb Omelet Torte

Of all the dishes I have ever prepared, the following recipe for Herb Omelet Torte has been one of the most overall satisfying to make.

From the tactile pleasure of working with puff pastry, to the art of making classic herb omelets, to the fragrant experience of sauteing spinach and garlic… creating this torte was a cook’s pleasure—a decadent treat for the senses, as well as the palate.

Perfectly suited for feeding a crowd, this Herb Omelet Torte is so worth making… whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Before we go any further, I have to get this off my chest… if I can make this, you can too. I am not a chef by any stretch of the imagination, not even in my wildest dreams. I’m merely an enthusiastic recreational cook, who takes pride in feeding my family to the best of my abilities.

With that said, if you’ve never prepared such a seemingly extravagant torte before, I urge you to consider making this Herb Omelet Torte your first foray into uncharted culinary territory. Why? Because although this torte is hearty and rustic with gourmet appeal, it isn’t as daunting as it may appear. The rewards that await an adventurous cook are many.

FYI – If your schedule doesn’t allow a solid block of time to dedicate to this recipe, rest assured you can easily build this torte in stages… preparing the puff pastry shell first, pre-sauteing and refrigerating the vegetables until use, as well as making the omelets, refrigerating and assembling all at a later time.

But enough talk. Let’s get to the recipe and some step-by-step instructions. Ready to wow your guests?

Traditional Herb Omelet Torte

(recipe adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, circa 1999)

double ingredients are not misprints, each are necessary to prepare their respective layer

• 1 (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (there are 2 sheets per package – you’ll need both)
• 1/2 pound trimmed fresh spinach, washed and prepared
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted and divided
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 9 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion or fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• optional – a bit of dry, white wine (no more than 1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
• 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham or turkey
• 1 (2 & 1/4 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• garnish optional: fresh tarragon sprigs

Assembly

Thaw and unfold puff pastry sheets. Lightly flour working surface and roll sheets, one at a time, gently in opposite directions. Cut a 9″ circle out of each sheet. Press one of the circles into the bottom of an ungreased 9×3″ springform pan; cover and chill the remaining circle. Press enough of the leftover pastry scraps onto the sides of the springform pan, forming a crust and taking care to leave a 1/4″ overhang at the top of pan. Make sure pieces are gently pressed and sealed to the bottom circle.

Cook spinach and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon butter & olive oil in a Dutch oven (or heavy bottom pan) over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until spinach wilts and liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cover (or transfer to a sealed container) and chill.

Saute red pepper in 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until tender. Flavor with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside or cover and chill until needed.

Combine 9 eggs and following 6 ingredients (7 if you’re adding a touch of wine) in a large bowl; whisk briskly until thoroughly blended. Heat a 9″ skillet over medium heat until pan is hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Add 1 tablespoon butter and tilt pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly as it melts.

Pour half of the egg mixture into the pre-heated skillet. As mixture begins to cook, gently push the edges of the omelet towards the center, encouraging uncooked portions to flow around and underneath the cooked portions of the egg. Continue this process until the omelet is evenly formed and gently set. No more runny portions should exist. (If you need more information on creating great omelets, click here to access the Inn Cuisine archives.)

Remove the just-cooked omelet from the skillet by sliding it onto a clean plate; set aside. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and egg mixture. Transfer second omelet to a clean plate as well, or wrap gently in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until use.

To begin layering the torte, place 1 of the omelets in the springform pan, directly atop the uncooked pastry shell bottom.

Next arrange half of the spinach mixture, then shredded cheese…

and ham…

over the omelet in layers.

Next, arrange the red peppers and olives over the ham. Now begin repeating layers in reverse order with remaining ham, cheese and spinach mixture. Top all with remaining herb omelet.

Top all with remaining pastry circle, bringing up 1/4″ overhang and sealing well, crimping the edges.

Brush top with beaten egg. Place pan on lined baking sheet on bottom rack in oven. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 40 minutes more.

Let torte stand approximately 20 minutes before serving. Move torte to serving plate (or stand) and carefully remove outer ring of the springform pan.

Slice torte into 8 pie-shaped pieces, cutting with either a sharp serrated knife or preferably using a serrated electric knife. Garnish with tarragon sprigs if desired.

This recipe produces 8 servings. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers if necessary. Serve with a cup (or bowl) of assorted fruit to round out this meal.

Enjoy!

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