Here’s a recipe. Actually, no, I can’t really say it’s a recipe because I don’t have the exact measurements and cooking times, and other important details like that. Ha. I guess that makes this a not-recipe.
But if you cook, you can get the jist of it and can probably wing it. Otherwise, there are other recipes for sformata below. Oh, yes. This is a not-recipe for sformata, a hearty traditional Italian dish (I think it’s from the Emilia-Romagna or Tuscany region). There are savoury and sweet versions, but this one is savoury and using greens.
Sformata di Patate e Verdure
Ingredients
Potatoes
Kale or spinach (cabbage is okay too, and/or other greens)
Ricotta
Pecorino or mozzarella (a more solid cheese)
Lemon
Garlic, chopped
Nutmeg
Olive oil
Preparation
Wash the potatoes and boil them. Peel the skins off and mash them. Add salt and a little nutmeg and a bit of olive oil. Mix until the paste is homogeneous.
Boil the kale or spinach (or cabbage; boiling time depends on what veggie you use). Chop the greens, add the chopped garlic, add ricotta and lemon juice, grate some lemon peel in, and mix. Add a bit of olive oil and some pepper. And a bit or a more solid cheese, such as pecorino or mozzarella.
Line a deep baking tray with baking paper and put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of the pot and around the sides as well, saving some for the top. Put the greens in the middle and cover the top with the rest of the potatoes. Baking time is about 30 minutes at 160°C (325°F), depending on your tray depth and your oven, or when the top is nicely browned.
I know the instructions aren’t great, I’m writing from what i jotted down in my journal. But if you cook regularly, you can probably improvise. It’s really easy to make.
Or you could compare the preparation with the pros.
This Emilian-style sformato recipe for ham and cheese seems quite similar to the one the farmer made, only it’s with ham and cheese and not vegetables. Here’s another sformato recipe using leek. And one more recipe with porcini mushrooms (I love mushrooms, must experiment and add mushrooms when I try this).
