Rachel Roddy's Tortino alla Fiorentina: A Velvety Summer Bake
Rachel Roddy presents a delightful recipe for tortino alla fiorentina, featuring potatoes, aubergine, and aromatic herbs. This substantial dish offers a velvety texture that carries you seamlessly into the summer months, blending the comfort of a layered vegetable bake with the essence of a frittata.
Inspired by Italian Culinary Traditions
The recipe draws inspiration from Anna Gosetti Della Salda's variations in the Tuscany chapter of Le Ricette Regionali Italiane, a book Roddy describes as indispensable. By adding potatoes to the traditional aubergine base, the dish becomes more substantial and flavourful, creating a cross between a vegetable bake and baked eggs without the expectation of puffing up.
Key to the dish's success is the initial cooking of the vegetables. Potatoes are fried and then covered to fry-steam into tenderness, while aubergine slices are simply fried until golden. Sprinkling the just-cooked slices with salt ensures the seasoning permeates throughout the final bake.
Versatile Ingredients and Cooking Tips
For those seeking variety, artichoke hearts, courgettes, or cardoon can substitute the aubergine. Optional additions include crumbled sausage or diced pancetta for extra richness. The egg and milk mixture is seasoned with grated cheese—use whatever you have on hand—but always check for salt balance.
A 24cm deep-sided, nonstick frying pan with an oven-safe lid is ideal for this recipe, though a cast-iron pan with similar proportions works well. Alternatively, use a frying pan for the initial stages and transfer to a round Pyrex dish or baking tin lined with greaseproof paper or buttered and dusted with breadcrumbs to prevent sticking.
Serving and Storage Recommendations
Allow the tortino to rest for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate, or serve in thick wedges directly from the pan. It holds up beautifully at room temperature or when tepid, making it a versatile option for gatherings. If refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before serving to avoid a cold edge.
Pair with a fresh salad and a dollop of chutney—mango chutney is particularly recommended—or enjoy squashed between split focaccia or a crusty bun for a hearty meal.
Recipe: Potato, Aubergine, and Herb Tortino alla Fiorentina
Serves 4
- 4 potatoes (each the size of a kiwi)
- 1 medium aubergine, trimmed
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- 6 eggs
- 4 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tbsp grated cheese (any type)
- 2 heaped tbsp minced parsley
- 1 tsp dried marjoram or oregano
Peel the potatoes and cut into 5mm-thick slices, patting them dry with kitchen towel. Slice the aubergine similarly, pat dry, and sprinkle with salt. In a 24cm deep-sided, oven-safe frying pan, add potato slices with three tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until sizzling, then cover and reduce to low for 15 minutes until tender and golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
In the same pan, warm two tablespoons of olive oil and fry aubergine slices in batches, pressing gently with a fork to release liquid and achieve light browning. Place cooked slices on a separate plate. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, cheese, herbs, and seasonings. Layer potatoes and aubergine in the pan, pour the egg mixture over the top, and bake at 180C (160C fan) for 15-20 minutes until set. For a golden finish, grill for an additional two minutes.
