Summer Vegetable Tart Food

SUMMER VEGETABLE & PESTO ROSE TART

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Tip the flour into a bowl with 1/ 2 tsp salt. Add the butter and rub in using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir through the cheese with a cutlery knife. Add the egg yolk, drizzle over 1 tbsp cold water, then use the knife to stir it in until clumps of dough start to form. Tip onto a work surface and bring the dough together with your hands into a smooth ball. Alternatively, you can make the pastry in a food processor. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 20 mins.
• Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the sweet potatoes, courgettes and aubergines lengthways as thinly as possible. Brush the aubergine slices with lemon juice as you go to prevent them from turning brown. Put the sweet potato in a bowl with 2 tsp water, cover with cling film and cook in a microwave on high for 2 mins, then remove and leave to cool. Do the same with the courgettes and aubergines, but cook for just 30 secs, then set aside.
• Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line a 23cm fluted tart tin with the pastry. Trim the sides with a pair of kitchen scissors, leaving an overhang of about 1cm. Chill for another 10 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray on the middle shelf.
• When the pastry is cold and firm, line with baking parchment (scrunch it up first to make it more pliable), then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for 5 mins more until the pastry is biscuity.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the mascarpone, eggs, pesto, breadcrumbs and Gruyère in a bowl, season and mix well. Remove the pastry case from the oven, trim the sides with a small sharp knife so they're flush with the top of the tin, then spread the filling over the base.
• Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Drain any liquid from the vegetables, pat dry on kitchen paper, then season them all well. Stack a slice of sweet potato, courgette and aubergine on top of each other then, starting from one end, roll into a spiral. Put in the middle of the tart. Layer up another three vegetable slices, then wrap these around the spiralled veg in the centre. Continue until the tart is full and you have created a rose effect. Sprinkle thyme leaves between the layers and drizzle the tart with oil.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 mins until the vegetables are tender and the filling has set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins before removing. Serve warm or cold.

ANY VEGETABLE TART

Steps:

• Put a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. If you like, you can sprinkle Gruyère or Cheddar onto the center of the liner or paper in an approximate 10-by-13-inch rectangle.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, Parmesan, lemon zest or rosemary, garlic (if using), and pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Beat in the crème fraîche until smooth.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to form a 10-by-13-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to prepared baking sheet. (Place directly on top of the grated cheese, if applicable.) With a sharp knife, lightly score a 3/4-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry, making sure not to cut the pastry all the way through. Using a fork, prick the pastry all over inside the border at 1-inch intervals.
• Spread crème fraîche mixture evenly inside the scored border. Arrange vegetables in an even layer, using just enough to cover the surface in one layer. Scatter scallions and thyme or rosemary sprigs on top. Lightly drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, and the vegetables are cooked through, about 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve topped with microgreens, herbs or baby lettuces, and accompanied by lemon or lime wedges, for squeezing.

DOUBLE CHEESE & SPRING VEGETABLE TART

Steps:

• Roll the pastry out into a rectangle on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Scatter over the cheese, fold the pastry in half and roll out again into a circle that fits a 25cm tart tin with an overhang. Chill for 20 mins. Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in boiling water for 3 mins, then drain and refresh under cold water. Cook the fresh peas the same way for a minute, or simply defrost the frozen peas.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the base of the tart well with a fork, line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake the tart for 30 mins, remove the parchment and beans, prick again if it has puffed up, then bake for another 10-15 mins until biscuit brown.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, add the crème fraîche and cream, season and add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Scatter the peas and most of the watercress over the tart and crumble over half the goat's cheese. Pour over the creamy egg mixture, then lay the asparagus spears on top. Finally, slice the remaining goat's cheese and arrange on top, then bake for 25-30 mins until the custard is just set and the cheese is golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove from the tin, scatter with the remaining watercress and serve cut into slices. Can be made up to a day ahead, leave out the fridge to keep the pastry crisp.