Easter Brunch Italian Torte

Planning an Easter brunch? Serve this impressive layered breakfast bake with a salad of mixed greens and tomato wedges. It is one highly requested dish and can be served warm or cold.

What You Need:
(Makes: 12 servings)
2 tubes (8 ounces each) of refrigerated crescent rolls, divided
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 package (6 ounces) of fresh baby spinach
1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
7 eggs
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 pound of deli ham, thinly sliced
1/2 pound of hard salami, thinly sliced
1/2 pound of sliced provolone cheese
2 jars (12 ounces each) of roasted sweet red peppers, drained, sliced and patted dry

What to Do:
STEP 1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a greased 9 inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inch square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Unroll one tube of crescent dough and separate into triangles. Press onto bottom of prepared pan to form a crust, sealing seams well. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until set.

STEP 2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and mushrooms; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender. Drain on several layers of paper towels, blotting well. In a large bowl, whisk six eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper.

STEP 3) Layer crust with half of the ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers and spinach mixture. Pour half of the egg mixture over the top. Repeat layers; top with remaining egg mixture.

STEP 4) On a work surface, unroll and separate remaining crescent dough into triangles. Press together to form a circle and seal seams; place over filling. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough.

STEP 5) Bake, uncovered, 1 to 1 & 1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees, covering loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning. Carefully loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Let stand 20 minutes.

STEP 6) Happy Easter & Enjoy!

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, Hartford Cooking Examiner

Donna Breault comes from a diverse cooking background from both coasts, always on the look-out for new cuisine challenges. An avid gardener, photographer, and traveler, she loves sharing the joy of food with her readers.

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