Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte is summery comfort food.

In the search for activities that were outdoors and socially distant this summer, we took a little road trip to a pick-your-own fruit and veggie farm. I wish I could tell you the name of the farm, or even where we were. But my memory has been snatched away by Covid, and online school, and college, and now hurricanes. 

What I do remember is what we did with all of those figs (we ate them), flowers (we took them to my mom), radishes (we sliced them up for a salad) and especially the squash, because that’s where we got a little creative.

To use up the beautiful summer squash we came home with, we made Smitten Kitchen’s Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte. Not only was it a hit earlier this summer, but squash and potatoes sort of melted together with just enough parmesan cheese might be the comfort food we need after a week of hurricane scares. And for those who might be helping with the clean-up, this squash and potato torte alongside a roast chicken would be a really lovely thing to come home to.

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients: 

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds (Deb calls for peeling the potatoes, I like to leave them unpeeled)
12 ounces yellow crookneck squash or regular yellow or green summer squash, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
6 teaspoons olive oil

Recipe directions: 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or a cake pan). Set aside ¼ cup of the green onions. Toss the remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Layer the potatoes in concentric circles in the bottom of the pan, overlapping slightly. Layer the squash in concentric circles atop the potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with enough of the cheese mixture to cover the squash and potatoes in a thin layer. Repeat with potatoes, squash, oil, cheese, until you have used all of the vegetables and cheese. Press gently to flatten.

Cover the skillet with foil. Bake until the potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered until the torte begins to brown and the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer. To serve, cut the torte into wedges and sprinkle with the reserved green onions.