Provençal Tarts Recipes

PROVENçAL TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 200C/ conventional 220C/gas 7. Roll out the pastry thinly and cut out a 24cm square. Cut into three, then in half to make six rectangles, and transfer to a baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork, brush with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with half the thyme. Bake for 12-15 minutes until pale golden, then press the pastries down lightly to flatten slightly and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan, add the onions and the remaining thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook very gently, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until the onions are completely softened but not coloured. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Spread out the peppers over the grill pan, skin side up. Grill until the skins are evenly blackened. When cool enough, peel off the skins. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
• Cut the aubergine into 12 slices and spread out over the grill pan. Brush lightly with olive oil and heat under the grill until lightly coloured, then turn over, brush again with olive oil and grill until just tender. Transfer to a dish, drizzle with a little more olive oil and add the garlic. Stir gently and leave to cool. (Up to this point, everything can be prepared up to a day ahead. Wrap the pastry in foil, cover the vegetables and store in the fridge.)
• Up to an hour before serving, set the pastry rectangles on a baking sheet and spread each with a thin layer of onion. Arrange the yellow peppers, aubergine and tomatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little basil oil and bake for 5-8 minutes until warmed through. To serve, transfer to serving plates and pile a small handful of rocket on the side. Drizzle each portion with lemon juice and a little more basil oil.

PROVENCAL ONION TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter with oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and soft, about 10 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to an 8 1/2-by-15-inch rectangle, trimming edges to make them straight. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, transfer to oven, and immediately reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until pastry just begins to puff, about 12 minutes.
• Arrange onions in a single layer over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with olives and anchovies (if desired). Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, and continue baking until tart is puffed and golden around the edges, about 15 minutes more (tent with foil if crust browns too quickly). Let cool slightly before cutting into small squares and serving.

PROVENçAL ZUCCHINI AND SWISS CHARD TART

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens, and wash them thoroughly in several rinses of water. If the ribs are wide, wash and dice them, then set aside. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt and the chard leaves. Blanch for one minute, until just tender. Using a slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer, transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet, and add the onion and diced chard stems, if using. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Season to taste with salt, and cook, stirring, until just tender and still bright green, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary, and cook with the zucchini and onion until the garlic is fragrant, about one or two minutes. Stir in the greens, toss everything together, and remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste), the zucchini mixture, and the Gruyère. Mix everything together, add pepper, taste once more and adjust seasoning.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the pan, with the edges of the dough overhanging. Freeze the remaining dough. Fill the lined pan with the zucchini mixture. Pinch the edges of the dough along the rim of the pan. Place in the oven and bake 50 minutes, until set and beginning to color. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving (preferably longer). This can also be served at room temperature.

PISSALADIERE (PROVENCAL ONION TART)

Steps:

• In workbowl of food processor fitted with plastic dough blade (can use metal blade if necessary), pulse flour, yeast, and salt to combine, about five 1 second pulses. With machine running, slowly add oil, then water, through feed tube; continue to process until dough forms ball, about 15 seconds.
• Generously dust work surface with flour. Using floured hands, transfer dough to work surface and knead lightly, shaping dough into ball.
• Lightly oil 1 quart measuring cup or small bowl, place dough in measuring cup, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in draft-free spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• While dough is rising, heat oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in onions, garlic, salt, and brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture released by onions has evaporated and onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently. After 15 minutes, remove garlic cloves, mince them and then return them to the pan, along with the balsamic vinegar. Stir and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, until onions have softened and are medium to golden brown. Off heat, stir in water; transfer to bowl and set aside.
• When dough has doubled, adjust oven rack to lowest position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500°F.
• Remove dough from measuring cup and divide into 2 equal pieces using dough scraper. Working with one piece at a time, form each piece into rough ball by gently pulling edges of dough together and pinching to seal. With floured hands, turn dough ball seam-side down. Cupping dough with both hands, gently push dough in circular motion to form taut ball. Repeat with second piece.
• Brush each lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut two 20 inch lengths parchment paper and set aside.
• Coat fingers and palms of hands generously with oil. Using dough scraper, loosen 1 piece of dough from work surface. With well-oiled hands, hold dough aloft and gently stretch to 12-inch length (like a very large breadstick). Place on parchment sheet and gently dimple surface of dough with fingertips. Using oiled palms, push and flatten dough into 14x8 inch oval.
• Brush dough with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Leaving 1/2 inch border around edge, sprinkle 1/4 cup olives, 1 tablespoon chopped anchovies, and 1 teaspoon thyme evenly over dough, then evenly scatter with half of onions. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and marjoram, if using.
• Slip parchment with tart onto pizza peel (or inverted rimless baking sheet), then slide onto hot baking stone. Bake until deep golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. While first tart bakes, shape and top second tart.
• Remove tart from oven with peel or pull parchment onto baking sheet; transfer tart to cutting board and slide parchment out from under tart. Cool 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley, if using. Cut tart in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise to form 8 pieces; serve immediately. While first tart cools, bake second tart.