I love this dish, a rich savory pie made with whatever greens I find at the farmers’ market. I’ve made it with kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, radish tops, beet greens, half a bunch of parsley—if it’s green and leafy, it’s going in the torta! A generous amount of olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano enriches the greens and prevents the torta from feeling too restrained, too healthful. Serve thin wedges of this as a starter.
Sally claims there is something therapeutic about a simple bowl of greens. "This dish is my tonic," she says. "Whenever I feel a cold coming on, or I am tired and my thirteen-year-old insists on baking a cake at nine p.m., I haul out a bunch of greens (even if they are in dubious condition) and wilt them in a pan with garlic and olive oil. The wisdom of the old advice to use fresh greens as a spring tonic comes through loud and clear - you feel purified."
Polenta: 15 minutes prep; 90 minutes unattended stove time
Grilled Greens: 15 minutes prep; about 10 minutes stove time
Fried rice is never something I intend to make, but it's something I'll cook for myself when I'm home, my wife and kids are away, and there's not a whole lot in the refrigerator. Fried rice is best made with day-old rice, so it's essentially glorified leftovers.