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Mary Anne here. The summer is swirling by in an endless stream of BBQ’s, Bridal Teas, and last minute poolside dinners. In fact, it’s swirling by so quickly that I nearly forgot about this wonderful tart, created just as summer approached. When I wrote my Ratatouille recipe I promised to create a few main course leftover options – and I did. But then I forgot to post them!
It’s by no means too late for Ratatouille – summer squash is in full bloom and the tomatoes are ripening on the vine. Have some fun with this recipe and try different cheeses. Gruyere or Emmenthelar might be a terrific substitute for either the Montrachet or the Boursin. The main idea is to complement the veggies, not overpower them with too much cheese.
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Ratatouille Tart
Serves 6 as a Main Course
Note: I garnished the center of the tart with a dollop of Ratatouille before baking.
Ingredients:
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted according to package instructions – $2.95
2 cups leftover Ratatouille
4 ounces Montrachet cheese, crumbled – $3.99
½ cup grated Parmesan – $1.11
2 ounces Boursin cheese – $2.98
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and sliced – $0.85
1 cup milk – stock
3 eggs lightly beaten – stock
2 Tablespoons fresh Basil, chopped – $0.33
Salt and pepper to taste
Grand Total Assuming Well-Stocked Pantry: $12.21
Cost Per Serving: $2.01
Pastry/Tart Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9” tart pan or pie plate with cooking spray.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit the prepared pan. Trim the pastry’s overhang to 1” and fold it back onto itself to reinforce the crust’s edge. With a fork, prick the bottom of the crust all over and then place it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the pastry from the freezer and line the bottom with aluminum foil. Scatter pie weights or dried beans across the foil, being careful to go all the way to the edge of the pastry.
4. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven and lift out the weighted foil. Return the pie shell to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes until the crust is the palest shade of gold. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and press the puffed-out edges back into shape as needed.
Tip: Never reheat pastry in a microwave. It will become rubbery and tough. Take the time to re-warm in a conventional oven at 350 degrees. When reheating any pie or tart, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning.
Filling Directions:
1. While the pastry is baking, prepare the custard. Pour the milk into a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine the cheeses, mixing thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Gradually add the eggs, mixing until fully incorporated.
3. Pour the warm milk into the blended cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the Ratatouille evenly over the bottom of the prepared tart shell. Sprinkle the Ratatouille with the chopped basil.
5. Pour the cheese mixture over the vegetables. Dust the top with a bit more grated Parmesan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until puffed and golden.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then transfer to a serving platter.
