Grilled Vegetable Tart
Grilled Vegetable Tart is a great recipe to help you make use of all of those delicious summer vegetables! Roasting this tart in the oven gives the vegetables a great, deep flavor that will have everyone in your family (even the kids) – asking you to make this tart again soon. We all hear it over and over again….. most of us are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. This tart will provide you with 3/4 of your recommended daily veggie requirement — all in one meal! And what better way to enjoy the fresh flavors of summer than to pile them up on top of a savory cornmeal crust. This delicious, cheesy, easy veggie tart will have you enjoying all of that summer goodness in no time!
Equipment
- oven
- 1 food processor
- 1 9 inch tart pan
- 1 nonstick pan
- 2 large baking sheets
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup yellow cornmeal
- ⅓ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
- ½ medium eggplant, sliced thin
- 1 large zucchini, sliced thin
- 3 large tomatoes, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup low fat (skim) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
- ¾ cup grated light parmesan cheese
Instructions
To make the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt; add the butter and oil and pulse the mixture until it forms tiny little balls. Add the water and continue to pulse until a loose dough forms.
- Take the dough out of the food processor and press into the bottom and 1/4 of the way up the sides 9 inch tart pan (if you can find one with a pop out bottom or a removable rim, they make it much easier to unmold when you’re done cooking the tart). If you have pie weights, use them to bake the crust; if not, press aluminum foil along the bottom and sides of the pan (directly on top of the dough) and then pour in some uncooked rice or dried uncooked beans to weigh down the crust. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet for easier handling, and bake it for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tart from the oven and carefully remove the foil with the rice (or beans inside); Discard the both foil and the beans or rice. Return the crust to the oven and continue to bake for it, uncovered, for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crust cool.
To make the Topping:
- Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan and saute them until soft (about 5 to 6 minutes).
- Spray 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray and arrange the eggplant, zucchini, and tomato slices on them in a single layer; brush the veggies with the remaining olive oil and season them with the salt and pepper.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast the vegetables until they soft (but not browned – about 15 minutes). Remove the vegetables from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- Lower the oven temperature back down to 350 degrees.
- Place the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart and cover them with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of the shredded basil. Then add the zucchini and the shallots, and top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and a little more basil. Top this layer with the tomatoes, then the rest of the mozzarella cheese, all of the parmesan cheese, and any basil that you may have left.
- Bake the tart for 25-30 minutes (or until the cheese is melted and the vegetables have kind of wilted a little). Remove from the oven, and let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Feel free to experiment with different vegetables based on your preferences and what's in season. Zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes are excellent choices for this tart. Don't shy away from adding herbs like basil or thyme for an extra layer of flavor.