Raw Summer Vegetable Tart
From the Veggie Cookbook
Serves 6
Veggie
The secret to this dish is crisp homemade pastry, a smooth avocado and mascarpone layer and a fresh, zingy topping made with ribbons of courgette dressed with lemon, olive oil and sweet green herbs. Summer on a plate.
Serves:
6Equipment:
- 1 rectangular loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, 20 × 30cm, a Y-shaped vegetable peeler
Ingredients
For the Savoury Shortcrust Pastry (makes 350g):
200g plain flour and a little for dusting
A generous pinch of salt
100g butter, well chilled and cut into small cubes
30g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 medium egg yolk, beaten
About 3 tbsp ice-cold water
For the filling:
2 small ripe avocados
250g mascarpone cheese
50g fresh or dried white breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, crushed
30g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
A small handful of basil leaves
For the topping:
2 courgettes
A handful of mixed soft herbs (such as basil, coriander, dill and flat leaf parsley)
Grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- 1
To make the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter cubes and use your fingertips and thumbs to lightly rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the parmesan (if using) and rub again until the cheese is mixed in evenly. Now add the beaten egg yolk and water, and use a round-bladed knife to combine the wet ingredients with the dry until the pastry comes together. Gather it up with your hands and knead very briefly into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Try not to handle it too much at this stage, or the fat will get warm and the pastry will become tricky to use and may turn out tough and chewy. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes before use.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6.
- 3
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a thin, even rectangle large enough to line the tart tin. Lift the pastry by rolling it around a rolling pin and then unrolling it over the tin. Don’t worry if the pastry cracks – just use your fingers to patch the pieces together. Ease the pastry into the corners of the tin, then use the rolling pin to roll firmly across the top of the tin to trim away any excess pastry. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- 4
Line the pastry case with a piece of non-stick baking paper and fill it with dried beans, uncooked rice or ceramic baking beans. Bake the pastry case in the top third of the oven for 25 minutes or until the visible pastry is sandy coloured. Remove the paper and baking beans or rice and then bake the pastry case for a further 10–12 minutes to ensure that the base is cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- 5
Meanwhile, make the filling. Halve the avocados and remove the stones, then scoop out the avocado flesh into a food processor. Add the remaining filling ingredients and blitz until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry case.
- 6
Finish the tart with the fresh vegetable topping. Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, peel thin strips of courgette into a large mixing bowl, discarding the white fleshy core. Pick the leaves from the herb stalks and add to the bowl along with the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and plenty of seasoning. Mix to combine, then arrange on top of the avocado filling. Cut the tart into squares to serve.
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