Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper, and Spinach Torta Rustica

This dish seems like a breakfast you'd make on a cold, snowy Saturday morning in January. Or a light dinner in early October. We had it for dinner in April, but I saved it until now because it seemed like a cooler weather type of recipe.

So easy to assemble, too. It's like a quiche, but it gets its crust from stale baguette slices. Just line the pan with them, then dump everything else on top. It's hearty, bursting with flavor, and full of vegetables. And eggs. I love eggs. From my head down to my legs. (Anyone remember those commercials?)

Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Torta Rustica
from Bon Appetit December 2008

16 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices, cut on slight diagonal
1 tablespoon butter
12 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 1/2 cups grated Fontina cheese, divided
3/4 cup diced drained roasted red peppers (from 12-ounce jar)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Place 8 baguette slices in bottom of dish; press 2 baguette slices onto each side.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach; toss until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to strainer; cool. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer to medium bowl.

Heat same pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage. Sauté until cooked through, breaking up, about 7 minutes. Mix into spinach; mix in 1 cup cheese and peppers. Spread atop baguette slices in bottom of dish.

Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in last 4 ingredients. Pour over spinach mixture and stir lightly with fork to distribute evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over.

Bake torta until puffed and golden and center is set, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Nat's Notes:
1. I used cheese I had on hand: a cheddar/mozzarella mixture and some goat cheese. The goat cheese really shined in this!
2. I used spinach-fontina turkey sausage, which blended seamlessly!

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