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Did I hear you thinking that you really need to be eating more veggies?...............
................. I've got quite the deal for you; a delightful meal-in-one tart recipe from Ottolenghi, one of the most famous cafés in London - it's loaded with fresh veggies and so delicious, you'll never miss the meat!
I made this fabulous tart for dinner last night and invited my son and daughter-in-law. It was a perfect, light, Mediterranean-style dinner with a salad and some crusty bread. We all mmmmm-ed throughout the meal and declared it quite "blog-worthy"! You won't believe the cast of veggie-characters included in this lovely tart; eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, sweet potatoes, onions and tomatoes all tied together with with a yummy filling that includes ricotta and feta cheeses along with eggs and cream.
It does take some time to put this tart together since all the vegetables need to be diced and roasted, but the work can be done early in the day and a purchased crust eliminates extra effort. I did make a homemade crust this time, but decided I won't bother in the future as the delicious veggie/cheese combination is definitely the star of the show in this wonderful tart.
You could definitely swap veggies depending on your taste and the season. The fresh thyme could also be exchanged for rosemary, sweet basil or even a combination of fresh herbs. To save a bit more time, substitute a jar of roasted peppers for the red and yellow bell peppers and I think goat cheese would be a delicious replacement for the ricotta. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this recipe is not only incredibly delicious, it's extremely versatile! You must try it - it's a keeper!
Ottolenghi's Very Full Roasted Vegetable Tart
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
5 tablesoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium eggplants (aubergine), cut into 1-inch dice
2 medium sweet potato (kumara) , peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into ½-inch dice
2 medium onions, cut in half and then cut in thin wedges
2 bay leaves
1 purchased or homeade pie or shortcrust pastry
8 fresh thyme sprigs, picked
4 ounces Ricotta cheese
4 ounces Feta cheese
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 large eggs
1 cup half and half
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Cover a large baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut peppers in half and discard seeds and stem. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and place on one side of the prepared sheet pan.
3. On the opposite side of the baking sheet, combine the eggplant with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes to the eggplant and stir to combine. Roast for another 12 minutes, then add zucchini, return to oven and roast 12 more minutes. After a total roasting time of 36 minutes the peppers should be charred in places and the other veggies golden and quite fragrant. Remove from oven and immediately cover the peppers with foil. Once the peppers are cool, the skin will easily slip off. Remove the skins and cut into 1" pieces.
4. While the veggies are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions with the bay leaves and a half teaspoon of salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, soft and sweet. Discard the bay leaves and set aside.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 375˚F (160˚C). Line a 11-inch shallow tart pan (or a 9-inch deep tart pan) with pastry crust. Blind-bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or rice*. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans (or rice), and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Notes:
* ~ Blind baking keeps the crust from shrinking and eliminates a soggy crust in the finished tart.
lena says
always love your presentation and the tart looks so colourful, i think even picky eaters will have no complain about these tarts!!
The Café Sucré Farine says
I will plan to do that Vicki! I used to be the same way about pie crust, once you learn a few tips, it's quite simple - and can be done very quickly too!
Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com says
I would love to see a tutorial on how to make your perfect pie crust. I am pie crust impaired!
Veronica Miller says
I love packing veggies into dishes-this sounds WONDERFUL!!
The Café Sucré Farine says
Vicky, thank you for your kind words. I do not have any professional cooking training but I have love to cook for at least a hundred years now! 🙂 And I definitley have flops and lots of results that are not so stellar!
Anh says
oh delicious! I remember this recipe from the book! I am glad you made it!
Kelly Mulcair Registered Nutritionist. Content © 2011 Trinity Nutrition. says
This tart is simple perfection. From the open faced smiling tomatoes to the roasted vegetables down to the delicate herbs. Gorgeous!
Kelly Mulcair Registered Nutritionist. Content © 2011 Trinity Nutrition. says
This tart is simple perfection. From the open faced smiling tomatoes to the roasted vegetables down to the delicate herbs. Gorgeous!
Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com says
I would like to know if you have professional cooking experience, because everything you make looks absolutely stunning! What a gorgeous crust!
Ginny says
Yum, what a wonderful way to get our vegetable in, and having fun at the same time! Eggs, cheese, veg, it has everything for a well rounded meal!
Patti says
Definitely trying this...have "pinned" it to my page.
My daughter used to make a roasted potato tart. The herb used in that is tarragon, and it is positively delicious.
Thanks,
Patti
Mary says
What a fabulous tart. the filling is almost like ratatouille. I'll wager with roasted vegetables, this really was fantastic. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Kate says
Oh wow! This looks amazing and the recipe sounds wonderful. What a great way to use veggies from the garden. I am going to give it a try.
Eri says
I love everything about this tart Chris! your crust looks spectacular!
France@beyondthepeel says
I love eggs for breakfast! What a wonderful way to get in a bunch of veggies.
Hovkonditorn says
Vegetable tart is one of my favorites! This looks delicious!
bellini says
To me this is perfection.
Sandra Lee says
It has eggplant inside and that is a great way for me to sneak up on it. I've only had eggplant once and it wasn't that great. Perfect idea, and can't wait to have it sneak up on the rest of the family also.
Kim says
I cannot eat peppers but I will definitly make this tart, it looks sooooo good! I just mark the recipe in my Ottolenghi's book!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Ohhh, this tart sounds amazing!!! I'm wondering if the family would eat it? There so funny about these kind of delicious foods!! I don't know where they came from? I have all the veggies too!! Hmmm, I think tonight I will roast up some veggies and give this a go tomorrow. Great recipe, I love it!!