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Meat, Italy

Torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard

Torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard is an Umbrian flatbread cooked in a skillet and filled with crumbled grilled sausage and chard sautéed with garlic. It serves 4 and takes 50 minutes, with medium difficulty, for €2.80 per serving. The key to success is a well kneaded dough and a very hot, dry skillet, which makes the bread puff up and brown like it would over an open fire.

Tonight, torta al testo, the Umbrian flatbread, cooked in a skillet and stuffed with grilled sausage and garlicky Swiss chard.

Torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Torta al testo is a flatbread from Umbria, traditionally cooked on a hot stone and here made in a skillet instead. Once split open, it reveals a soft, slightly dense crumb that holds a generous filling without falling apart. Grilled sausage brings fat and roasted flavor, while garlicky chard adds a green, savory note that balances the richness.

This is a solid weeknight dinner, since the dough, chard filling, and sausage can all cook at the same time. Kids tend to like the warm bread and sausage, and you can keep the chili flakes on the side for sensitive palates. Serve the torta warm, eaten with your hands, for a relaxed dinner with no fuss.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 400 g
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Dried chilioften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Milk 15 cl

Butcher

  • Pork sausages 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Swiss chard 500 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, 2 tablespoons of oil, and the milk with 10 cl of warm water, knead and let rest. 15 min

    The dough should be soft and not sticky, add a little flour if needed.

  2. Wash the chard, chop the stems, and sauté them with the garlic and chili in the oil until tender. 12 min

    Cook the stems first, the leaves wilt down in 2 minutes.

  3. Grill the pricked sausages in the skillet, then remove the casing and crumble the meat. 12 min

    Grill over medium heat, the casing won't split and the meat stays juicy.

  4. Roll out the dough into 4 flatbreads and cook them dry in a hot skillet, 3 minutes per side. 12 min

    Prick the dough with a fork, it puffs up more evenly.

  5. Split the flatbreads open while still warm and fill them with the chard and sausage.

    Serve right away, the bread is best warm, with the filling still hot.

Our tips to get it right

  • Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes so it turns elastic, that's what lets it puff up properly in the skillet.
  • Squeeze out extra liquid from the cooked chard if it releases a lot of water, a soggy filling will make the bread limp.
  • Keep cooked flatbreads under a kitchen towel while you finish the rest, they stay soft and warm for filling later.

The variations

  • Swap the pork sausage for chicken sausage, the flavor is milder and it cooks just as fast.
  • For a vegetarian version, double the amount of chard and stir a handful of grated pecorino into the filling.
  • For a quick kids' version, shape small individual flatbreads that cook in 2 minutes per side and fill like a sandwich.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A glass of light red wine
  • Roasted seasonal vegetables

Storage

Store the cooked flatbreads and the filling separately in closed containers, for up to 2 days in the fridge. The cooked dough freezes well flat, just reheat it in a skillet for a couple of minutes per side before filling.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it come back to room temperature before rolling it out so it's easier to work with.

What's the best pan for cooking the flatbread?

A cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet holds heat better and gives you even brown spots. Thin pans cool down fast and cook less evenly.

Can you use spinach instead of Swiss chard?

Yes, spinach works well and cooks even faster, in about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a bit less since it cooks down more than chard.

Can you freeze the flatbread already filled?

It's not ideal, since the filling releases water as it thaws and makes the bread soggy. It's better to freeze the flatbread on its own and prepare the filling fresh when you're ready to serve.

How long does it take to make a torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a torta al testo with sausage and Swiss chard cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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