Vegetable Rose Tart
A show-stopper!
This tart is incredibly tasty, and a feast for the eyes as well as the belly. The artful rose shape of the veggie slices really looks amazing when baked. It’s certainly a show-stopping centrepiece! It looks impressive but it doesn’t really need any skill or take too long. It’s a really satisfying one to make.
Ingredients
For the pastry
For the filling
Instructions
Equipment
For this recipe you will need a 20cm/8in (3cm deep) loose-bottomed fluted tart case, and baking beans or rice.
Step 1
To make the pastry, blitz the flour and butter to a crumb.
Mix in the cheese and a pinch of lemon zest until just incorporated using the pulse setting.
Add the egg yolk and pulse to form a dough. If necessary, add a little ice-cold water.
Wrap up the dough and leave it in the fridge to chill for 20-30 mins before using.
Step 2
Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice all the vegetables lengthways as thinly as possible. Brush the aubergine with lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown.
Preheat the oven to 160C Fan.
Microwave the carrot slices in a bowl with a few tablespoons of water for 1 minute and then leave to cool.
Repeat this process with the other vegetables but only cooking them for 30 seconds. Alternatively, steam for a minute or 2, or pour boiling water over the vegetables and set aside for 20 minutes, to make the vegetables flimsy enough to bend.
Drain and leave to cool.
Step 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pastry to approximately ½cm thick and line your flan tin trimming off any excess.
Line the pastry-lined tin with parchment paper and baking beans and bake for 15 mins.
Remove the beans and then bake for another 5 mins until golden.
Step 4
To make the filling, mix together the mascarpone, egg, cheeses, pesto, sundried tomato, a pinch of lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
Spread the filling into the base of your tart case.
Pat dry all of your vegetables and season them well.
Roll up a stack of the sliced vegetables, aubergine, carrot, and courgette to form a spiral, and place this in the centre of your tart.
Continue wrapping vegetable slices around the spiral, one by one to form a large rose-like effect.
Step 5
Drizzle the tart with olive oil.
Bake for 30-40 mins until the filling has set and gone lovely and golden.
Leave to cool for 15 mins before serving.
Lovely served with a green salad.