Goats Cheese & Roasted Vegetable Tart

For Silas' one-month birthday, Cakes and I went for a picnic in Hawrelak Park. It was a gorgeous day, Silas was very well behaved and we got to lie around on a blanket in the sun reading magazines. Never mind that the kitchen was a disaster zone and the laundry needed doing - there are some things far more important than keeping the house spotless. Along with our cherries and peaches (bought at a roadside stand) and bottles of iced water we took along a few slices of the goats cheese and roasted vegetable tart I made the day before. What had been delicate and fluffy (if somewhat, um, falling-apartish) the day before, warm out of the oven, was now much more flavourful and stood up to being eaten by hand - a cold velvetty, cheesy custard laced with garlic and paired with yummy roasted asparagus, capsicum and onions. You could definitely use zuchinni (I would have if there'd been any at the shops when I went) or mushrooms as well (I forgot to buy them).

This tart looks nice, has plenty of veggies and milk in it and the pastry crust is thin so the damage in the butter department isn't too bad. You could probably cut the fat in the pastry down a bit more by substituting cream cheese for some of the butter, which I have been known to do from time to time, although I didn't here.

• 180 grams (6 oz.) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 90 grams (3 oz.) butter
• 1 egg
• water

Preheat oven to 200C (400F) Process flour, salt, pepper and butter in a food processor. When it is mealy, blend in one egg and enough water (about 1-2 Tablespoons) to form a nice firm pastry dough. Roll dough out on a floured surface until it is no more than 2 millimetres thick. Use dough to line a 10-inch tart shell and prick the bottom of it with a fork. Set aside.

• 1 medium vidallia onion, quartered and roasted or grilled
• 3 large, thick-walled capsicum roasted or grilled, skin and seeds removed
• 1 pound asparagus roasted or grilled
• 300 grams chevre
• 60 grams semi-hard goats cheese, grated very finely
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 whole extra-large eggs
• 3 extra-large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Drain and pat the vegetables dry. Slice the onions and capsicum into thin strips.  Arrange the asparagus, capsicum and onions in the bottom of the prepared tart shell.

In a stand mixer, whip the chevre, goats cheese, eggs, yolks, salt and garlic until smooth. Add enough of the milk to make a pourable liquid about as thick as a syrup or pourable custard.
Pour cheese mixture over vegetables and thump tart shell several times on the countertop to ensure it gets between the vegetables and down to the bottom of the crust.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 180C (350F) and bake for 20 more minutes. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. You can eat this now, but the custard will be very delicate and will likely fall apart when eaten. It is better left until the next day in the fridge for the custard to firm up and the flavours to blend.

Comments

[Jane]

Welcome back! I wasn't expecting a post for another 2 months or so, what with you being a new mom and all, but I am glad to read it. Oh, and it looks delicious!

[Rosa]

A beautiful tart that surely tastes wonderful! A great recipe for the summer...

[Lolotte]

Wow, this is so beautiful! Love the first picture!

[Lydia]

Lovely tart -- a perfect summer lunch.

[Fran]

This is a gorgeous tart! I know I could never make one that looked like this but will certainly have a try.

[elarael]

Yay! I know you must be busy, but I'm glad to see one of your posts, and such a nice one too.

[Aimee]

Hey, thanks for this. I've been looking for inspiration for a good vegetarian tart and this should do very well! It looks lovely.

[Stan]

Hi:
Is it really suppose to be 12 teaspoons of black pepper. It sounds like a lot. Perhaps 1/2 teaspoon.

[Stan]

Hi:
Is it really suppose to be 12 teaspoons of black pepper. It sounds like a lot. Perhaps 1/2 teaspoon.

[neuba]

I stumbled upon your blog when looking for cafe's to visit in Edmonton. I read your review for Wild Earth Bakery and Coffee, and I am excited to say I will be visiting it Sunday.

As someone who enjoys to cook, eat good food, try new places and is relatively new to Edmonton, I quite enjoy your blog. I have been perusing your reviews and it looks like there are quite a few places I need to sample.

I look forward to reading more. Congrats on the new addition.