Serves 8
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 350g flour
- 8g salt
- 150g butter
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 20-30ml ice cold water
Filling:
- 250g smooth ricotta cheese
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 40g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp dried herbs
Vegetables:
- 8 baby marrows
- 3 carrots
- 2 eggplants
- 4 large portabello steaks (or the largest brown mushrooms you can find)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 28cm loose bottomed, fluted tart tin
Method:
For the crust:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Mix the butter into the flour using your finger tips to make a wet sand.
- Add the eggs and mix with a fork until the dough is just coming together.
- Gradually add water, a spoonful at a time, just until the mixture holds together.
- Don’t overwork the dough.
- Shape into a large disc and cover in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or make in advance the night before.
- On a well floured work surface, roll the dough out into a ± 4mm thick circle.
- Roll up the dough onto your rolling pin.
- Unroll the dough over the 28cm tart tin.
- Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tart tin. Trim off most of the excess leaving a few mm above the rim of the tart tin.
- Prick the base of the dough all over with a fork. Place in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
- Fill the dough lined tart tin with scrunched up baking paper and baking beans or rice.
- Blind bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the beans and baking paper and return to the oven for another 7 minutes.
- Set the crust aside.
For the filling:
- Whisk all the ingredients together and season well. Set aside.
For the vegetables:
- Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice the courgettes into thin ribbons.
- Toss in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and place in a sieve to degorge.
- Slice the carrots and eggplants into thin ribbons.
- Using a very sharp knife, remove the core and slice the portabello mushrooms into thin strips.
- Trim all the vegetables so that the ribbons and slices are all as close as possible in size so they layer well together.
To assemble:
- Spread the filling evenly over the blind baked crust.
- Starting from the outside next to the crust, line the walls of the tart with the veg ribbons, alternating each veg, until the entire tin is filled.
- Brush the vegetables with a little olive oil and sprinkle over some salt and pepper.
- Bake at 200˚C for 35-40 minutes until the vegetables are just tender and cooked through and the tart base is crisp.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice into wedges and serve with a fresh green salad.
