As the weather starts heating up, I find myself dreaming of colorful tablecloths and picnic tables. The park beckons us to enjoy its green, lush landscape under a sky full of clouds. I also start looking for dishes that can be cooked ahead of time or that can be served at room temperature. Who wants to spend a summer evening at the stove, when we could be packing a basket with a meal to enjoy with friends and family instead? Eating picnic-style outside is a way to enjoy summer’s beauty and bounty.
This recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven has been on my culinary radar for about 20 years. I’ve cooked other recipes from this great cookbook, but had never tried the vegetable tart. Knowing that I had visitors coming in prompted me to finally try it. I could make the tart ahead of time and relax when my family members arrived. After assembling a quick salad to accompany the tart, dinner would be handled!
This dish is visually appealing, but relatively uncomplicated to make. Katzen’s tart crust is a cinch to put together using the food processor and only 4 ingredients. Once it’s rolled out and placed in a tart pan, it can be refrigerated or frozen until baking time.
The layers of the tart are simple, but work magically well together. It’s not hard to imagine a French shopper picking up some Gruyère cheese, fresh herbs, a bright pepper, an onion and some pommes de terre at the market. The onions can be sautéed and the potatoes boiled ahead of time or as the crust chills in the refrigerator.
With this prep work done, assembling the tart goes quickly. First, a layer of grated Gruyère goes over the crust.
Next, I added a layer of sauteed onions, black pepper, and chopped fresh sage.
Sliced cooked potatoes and fresh red pepper create the last two layers.
With a bit more Gruyère on top, the tart is ready for the oven.
It bakes into a golden treat that is perfect for a summer evening.
Break out the picnic tablecloth!
Picnic Vegetable Tart
Sunnyside Cook
Ingredients
For the tart crust
- A 10 or 11 inch tart pan with removable bottom
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 4 tablespoons cold water
For the tart filling
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- l large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 pound small red potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese about 1/4 pound
- 1 medium-sized red pepper thinly sliced
Instructions
For the tart crust
- Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse 2-3 times to blend the flour mixture.
- Cut the butter into 8 slices, add to the flour mixture, and pulse several times until the mixture is uniform and resembles coarse meal.
- Continue to pulse the flour mixture as you add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. As soon as the dough comes together, stop adding water, and turn the dough onto a floured surface.
- Roll the dough into an 11 to 12 -inch circle (slightly bigger than the tart pan’s circumference). Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, lift, and unroll it into the tart pan, nudging it gently into the edges, and use your fingers to form an even side all the way around.
- Wrap the crust tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. (You do not need to defrost the crust before putting the filling in prior to baking.)
For the tart filling
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt, turn the heat down, and cook slowly over low heat until the onion is translucent and tender (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat, sprinkle generously with black pepper, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until just tender (about 10 to 15 minutes). Drain, peel, and set aside.
- Sprinkle about 1 cup of the cheese into the bottom of the unbaked crust.
- Spoon the cooked onion over the cheese and sprinkle with sage.
- Arrange the potato slices in overlapping concentric circles, covering the onion and sage.
- Arrange the bell pepper slices creatively on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and extra black pepper to taste.
- Set the tart on a baking tray for ease of handling, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden around the edges. Move the tray to the lowest shelf of the oven for the last 10 minutes, to help the bottom crust cook through and become crisp.
- Remove the tray from the oven, slide the tart off the tray, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
- To serve, remove the rim and cut the tart into wedges. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
