This tomato tart would be a perfect light spring lunch option.
No longer do you need to cook separate meals just because a vegetarian is coming to dinner. Harvest Vegetarian offers easy recipes that will suit meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Vegans are catered for too, and it includes gluten-free recipes for all occasions - try savoury mushroom pancakes with English spinach sauce, goats cheese roulade or chocolate hazelnut torte.
Author Adam de Ath is a qualified chef and teacher of commercial cookery, and as owner and chef of Harvest Vegetarian Restaurant in Sydney for the past 14 years he's gained a great appreciation for the humble fruit 'n' veg.
Pastry
185g plain flour
100g butter, chilled and diced
1 egg yolk
30ml (6 tsp) water
10-15 basil leaves to line pastry
Filling
6-8 roma tomatoes, skin removed, cut lengthwise and seeded
Sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
180g (3/4 cup) parmesan cheese, freshly grated
200g marscapone
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
100g (1/2 cup) gruyere, grated
1 Preheat oven to 180c. For the pastry, sift flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Use a mixer with a dough hook or rub in butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, mix in egg yolk then add water slowly until dough is pliable. Wrap and chill for 30 min..
2 Roll out the pastry and line 4 greased and floured 10cm tins. Prick base evenly with a fork. Line tarts with baking paper and bake blind for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3 For the filling, cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and brush halves with olive oil and place on an oven tray. Lightly season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with oregano and basil and lightly cover with some of the parmesan. Grill until light brown. Set aside and allow to cool.
4 In a bowl, mix mascarpone with 2 egg yolks, then fold in the grated gruyere and a little salt and pepper.
5 To assemble, line tart shell with basil leaves. Place cheese mix on top. Cover again with basil leaves then place cooked tomatoes on top to cover. Sprinkle lightly with remaining parmesan and bake tarts for 10-15 minutes.
6 Garnish with herb sprigs and serve warm with a rocket salad.
Be in to win a copy of this cook book
Harvest Vegetarian, by Adam de Ath (New Holland, RRP $39.99)
This book is available from Cook the Books, 81 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, ph (09) 360 6513, cookthebooks.co.nz
They have one copy to give away. Email your name and address to books@cookthebooks.co.nz by Monday, September 13.
* Recipe extracted from Harvest Vegetarian by Adam de Ath
