Frittorta

SERVES 8 AS A DINNER SIDE DISH, MORE AS A COCKTAIL PARTY APPETIZER

This is an interesting contribution to our firehouse cooking contest.
Lieutenant Harry Paretchan of the San Francisco Fire Department combines a
couple of Italian cooking methods that are common in the City by the Bay. A
frittata is a broiled or baked Italian omelet, and a torta is a baked sort
of cake. He does both with this wonderful dish that is easy to make,
inexpensive, and delicious hot or cold.

Normally I do not give you recipes that contain instant food products or
dried soup mixes. However, with firehouse cookery you are sometimes up
against the wall and may need to fall back on some prepared ingredients. He
uses a very fine product from Knorr, and since I have used it as well, I
can hardly complain about Mr. Paretchan not cooking from scratch.

Cook the rice in the broth and water (see recipe). When cooked, place in
a large bowl and add the melted butter. Mix well and add the cottage
cheese, salami, soup mix, and salts and pepper. Beat 9 eggs and stir into
the mixture. Add the drained spinach and mix well.

Grease an 11x16x1-inch baking dish with the remaining but ter. Sprinkle
half of the grated cheese on the bottom of the dish. Add the rice mixture
and smooth out the top. Beat the remaining 3 eggs and pour over the top of
the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, at 325
for 35 to 40 minutes. After cooling a bit, cut into small serving pieces.

The lieutenant claims that the dish sets up better if it is made a day
in advance. A quick reheating is no work at all.