Underappreciated cabbage triumphs by going undercover.

• Author: Clark, Melissa
• Position: Living - Recipe

Byline: Melissa Clark

Savory pastries -- pies, tarts, quiches, tortas and the like -- are so inherently appealing that it doesn't really matter what you fill them with.

Even cabbage.

Now, I have always adored cabbage in all its many hues and guises. I'll eat it cooked, fermented, marinated, even sliced raw with hot sauce and salt as a snack (try it before you knock it). But I am aware that my enthusiasm is not universally shared.

The easiest way to get everyone to appreciate cabbage is to wrap it in pastry and bake until golden brown. You can't miss.

The reason this combination works so well is that much of the pleasure of any savory pastry lies in the warm, salty crust, which crumbles and flakes when you bite down. Then you hit the cabbage filling, which is soft and silky, slightly sweet from caramelized onions, and creamy from a hefty dose of grated fontina cheese. A handful of diced smoked ham, if you use it, adds a note of brawny complexity to the mix, but you wouldn't miss it if you left it out.

This particular dough recipe is on the sturdy side, fortified with whole-wheat flour and rich with butter. It has enough structure on its own not to need a pie pan for support. I treat the pastry almost like a giant empanada, rolling it out, folding it over the filling, and baking it on a baking sheet for maximum browning. The pastry bakes up into a neat package that you can slice and eat out of hand, wrapped in a napkin, though a fork and plate are welcome, too.

To keep the crust crisp, you need to cook as much of the moisture out of the cabbage as possible while sauteing it with the onions. Do this in batches if your skillet is small, and take your time. Another bonus to the long saute time is that the browner the cabbage gets as it cooks, the sweeter it will be.

I use one more trick to ensure a crunchy crust: layering the cabbage mixture with breadcrumbs that I've seasoned with garlic and thyme. The crumbs absorb any residual moisture and add a garlicky, herbal flavor.

This basic torta recipe will also work with other fillings. I've made it with browned mushrooms, stewed tomatoes and peppers, and potatoes and olives. But try it with the cabbage at least once before making it your own.

Cabbage and Onion Torta

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus chilling

475 grams all-purpose flour (4 cups)

60 grams whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)

12 grams kosher salt (about 21/2 teaspoons), more as needed

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

1/4 cup olive...