Episode 28

Ingredients

Pecan Vegetable Torte with Cheddar

1 Lg. Sweet Potato Salt & Pepper
1 t Vegetable Oil

1 Lg. Onion, thinly sliced (not into rings)
2 Pkgs. Frozen Chopped Spinach
6 oz. Cheddar Cheese flavored

¾ C Chopped Pecans
With Chives, grated

2 Med. Yellow Squash
¼ t Dried Basil

1 12oz jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained, sliced

Heat oven to 350°. Oil the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Peel the sweet potato and slice crosswise into ¼” thick rounds. Arrange the sweet potatoes in two overlapping layers in bottom of pan, sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil; bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and sauté onion until tender; set aside. Drain the spinach and squeeze in a colander to remove excess liquid.
Combine spinach, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste and mix well; set aside.

Uncover pan and spread spinach mixture evenly on top of sweet potato layer; sprinkle with ¼ cup pecans. Slice the squash crosswise into 1/8” rounds and layer in pan alternating with the onion. Top with ¼ cup each pecans and cheese. Sprinkle on basil, salt and pepper. Arrange red peppers in a single layer on top.

Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet and press down on torte with the back of a metal spatula to squeeze out any remaining excess liquid. Drain, brush the red pepper layer lightly with oil and bake torte on top of baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle torte with remaining cheese and pecans and bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese melts and pecans are lightly toasted.
Cool at least 15 minutes. To serve, run a thin knife around the inside edge of pan to loosen torte. Remove sides of pan and cut into wedges. Serves 6.