Grilled Eggplant and Ricotta Tart

Every time I make a tart, I want to make more. There is something about savory tarts that are so fun to not only make, but to eat.  I had read on 101 cookbooks about the concept of a “lasagna” tart, and I got really excited.  What better dinner than one which combines my love for tarts with lasagna! I decided to make this using my trusty savory tart dough, and to use my favorite lasagna ingredients.  Also, feel free to add parmesan or any other favorite cheese to the ricotta mixture. It would also be fun to explore different grilled vegetables – like portabella mushrooms and zucchini. This recipe makes for a perfect dinner, serving 2, with a nice side salad.  Then the two of you can fight for the leftover pieces later 🙂

Grilled Eggplant and Ricotta Tart
1 eggplant, sliced into long thin slices
1 15-oz package of fat free ricotta cheese (or regular)
1 egg
2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Olive oil
1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce
1/2 tsp of red chili flakes (optional)

Tart Dough:
1.5 cups of unbleached white flour
3 tbsp of butter substitute, softened (you can use real butter, but I try to cut some calories/fat this way)
1 eggs
2 tbsp of cold water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 cup of dried beans (will be discarded)

(1) Prepare the tart dough according to the instructions from the prior post on savory tart dough – note that the recipe above cuts the ingredients in half, but I still used the same amount of rosemary for flavor. Feel free to adjust accordingly.
(2) Place the tart dough into a tart pan. Add approximately one cup of dried beans to weigh down the tart dough. Put the tart in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes.
(3) While the tart is cooking, toss the eggplant with 1 tbsp of olive oil and salt (to taste). Grill the eggplant for about 5 minutes on each side.
(4) In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and parsley. Mix well.
(5) Remove the tart from the oven. It will not be completely cooked, but it will finish cooking with the remainder of the ingredients. Toss out the beans.
(6) Add the eggplant to the bottom of the tart. Top with the ricotta cheese mixture. Finish the layers with a cup of marinara sauce on top. I sprinkled red chile flakes on the top of the entire tart, but you can skip that part. I also used arribiata sauce, which has its own spicy kick to it.
(7) Place the entire tart in the oven, and cook for approximately 20 more minutes. Remove and enjoy!!

White Chocolate Mango Tart

I woke up this morning craving sweets, and I remembered this apricot Trader Joe tart that I had bought several months ago. I had a bag of frozen mangos, and I decided to try to make my own version without the apricots. The consistency of the tart filling came out nice and thick, and the dough was not too buttery. I also thought I would have fun decorating the top of the tart. However, the bag of sliced almonds seemed to have been crushed, so when my patience ran out, I dumped a pile of the crushed almonds in the middle. Also, the white chocolate flavor is very subtle, and I am not sure why. 

This tart would go perfectly with a cup of mint tea on a nice spring afternoon. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Mango Tart

Dough:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 stick of butter substitute (I use Smart Balance)
1 egg
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup water

Tart Filling:
1 lb frozen mango chunks
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup almond slices

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dough, except the water. Knead the dough well. Slowly add the water. You do not need the entire half cup. If you find the dough is too sticky, then add some more flour. If the dough appears crumbly, add a little bit of water.
2. On a flat surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Once you have the shape of your tart pan, then place the dough into the tart pan. Press the dough firmly into the tart pan so that it takes the shape of the pan. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the mango and sugar. Let it slowly come to a rapid simmer. Use a fork and mash the mango chunks once they become soft. It is okay to have some chunks in the filling.
4. Once the mangos appear to be soft, add the white chocolate chips, water and tapioca. Mix well. The chocolate chips will clump at first, but they will eventually dissolve into the mixture. Let the mixture come to a rapid simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
5. The filling should appear thick and the tapioca should have dissolved into the mixture. Taste the mixture. If you can taste the bits of tapioca, then add a little bit more water, and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
6. Let the filling cool for 10 minutes before adding to the tart pan. Spread evenly.
7. Decorate the top of the tart with sliced almonds.
8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Olive and Carmelized Onion Tart

My two favorite foods are salt and onions.  This recipe combines the two into a delicious tart.  I also added a new cheese I discovered, Fleur Verte. I cannot tell you how much like heaven this cheese tastes like – YUM!  It is a herb coated cheese from France that I bought from Wegman’s after the lady behind the cheese counter gave me a sample.  I presume you can find it at any place with a specialty cheese counter.  If you cannot find it, a good goat cheese or chevre cheese will work just fine.  I made this tonight for a small get together we were having to watch my favorite show, LOST. The tart ended up being a huge hit.  This recipe is easy to make, and will make you look like a rockstar 🙂

Olive and Carmelized Onion Tart

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 ball of tart dough (see recipe)
1 red onion, sliced
1 leek, whites only, sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup of chopped olives
1/4 cup pine nuts
5 oz of Fleur Verte cheese (or similar chevre or goat cheese)
Olive Oil

(1) In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Add the onions, leeks and thyme.  Saute the onions over medium heat, until they are translucent.  Set aside.
(2) On a flat surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the tart dough into a large circle.  The dough should be less than 1/4 inch thick. 
(3) Transfer the dough to a tart pan, and remove excess dough from the edges.
(4) In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of olive oil.  Saute the pine nuts over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
(5) In the tart pan, spread the entire onion mixture across the bottom.  Add a layer of the chopped olives.
(6) Break up the Fleur Verte into small pieces and sprinkle over the top of the tart. 
(7) Add the toasted pine nuts.
(8) Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Savory Tart Dough

This dough is very simple to make, and yields enough to make two tarts.  I find that tarts get eaten quickly, so two is definitely the way to go.  In this recipe, I use rosemary, however, you can substitute this for another savory spice (e.g., thyme, herbs de provence, etc.)

Savory Tart Dough

3 cups of unbleached white flour
1 1/2 sticks of butter substitute, softened (you can use real butter, but I try to cut some calories/fat this way)
2 eggs
4 tbsp of cold water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rosemary (or other herb)

(1) In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter.  I usually put the stick of butter in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it softer.  Using your hands, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like a bowl of tiny pebbles.
(2) Add the eggs, and 3 tbsp of cold water. Work through the mixture with your hands.  If the dough doesn’t seem to hold well, add another tbsp of cold water, although you do not want the dough to be sticky.
(3) Add the salt and rosemary and work through the dough with your hands.
(4) Split the dough in half to create two separate balls of dough.
(4) Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate immediately if the dough is not going to be used right away.

Spinach and Ricotta Savory Tart

I love savory tarts. There is nothing like a fresh crispy pastry shell enveloping a salty treat. Yum.  I decided to not use a tart pan for the pastry shell because I thought it looked more rustic this way.  Enjoy!

Spinach and Ricotta Savory Tart

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 ball of savory tart dough (see recipe)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 poblano pepper, diced
1 sprig of fresh mint leaves
1 sprig of fresh oregano leaves
15 oz of ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional)
Olive Oil

(1) In a large saucepan, heat approximately 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil.  Saute onions and garlic.
(2) Once they are translucent, add the chopped spinach, poblano peppers, mint and oregano.  After the spinach has wilted, remove from heat, and drain excess liquid.
(3) In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach mixture with ricotta cheese and egg. Mix well.  Add black pepper and salt.  
(4) On a flat surface, roll out the tart dough until it is less than 1/4 inch thick. I prefer to use a rectangular shape, but you can also make it into a round tart.  Transfer the dough to a greased cookie sheet.
(5) Add the mixture to the center of the dough, leaving approximately 1/2  inch border all the way around. 
(6) Begin folding the edges in and making a pinched pattern all the way around.  This is where you can get creative with your border. 
(7) Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top of the tart and sprinkle crushed red pepper, if desired.
(8) Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  You may turn on the broiler for the last few minutes for added color.