Summer Vegetable Tart

The Cookery Book

VEGETARIAN

Summer Vegetable Tart

Serves: 4-6

Preparation: About 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Marinade Time: Minimum 2 hours, preferably done day before

Phil Vickery published this recipe Wednesday 17 July at 11:56 am, and which was featured on ITV This Morning 2024.

The finished tart is beautiful to look at and tastes wonderful.

My family are not so keen on puff pastry and have urged me to cook this next time on the Courgette and Almond Pizza base I created for Pizza, so include the recipe for the pizza base below - I have to say it was one of the best pizza bases we have ever had, so well worth trying. I did forget to include the sautéed courgettes, but it was delicious nevertheless. Obviously more vegetables make this even more substantial and not really necessary to have anything else to accompany the dish as it is quite filling.

I opted to make my own Hollandaise sauce, which made a world

of difference and using a handheld blender, it was done

in about 2 minutes!

Ingredients:

For the Cucumber Marinade

1 medium cucumber, sliced really thinly in long strips using a peeler
1 tbsp sugar
150ml rice wine vinegar

For the Hollandaise Sauce

150g Unsalted Butter
2 large free range eggs (separate the yolks for the sauce)
Juice of one Lemon
Salt and Pepper
Small pinch (¼ teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper - (Optional)

For the Pastry Base (1st option)

500g block puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

For the Courgette and Almond Base (2nd option)

Extra-virgin olive oil, to grease
25g (1oz) Parmesan
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon salt
150g (5½oz) ground almonds
1 medium courgette (about 175-220g/6-8oz), peeled and coarsely grated

For the Tart

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
185g jar ‘ready made’ hollandaise sauce (ambient)
4 spring onions, finely chopped
150g fresh raw peas
2 courgettes, cut into 1.5cm cubes and sautéed until golden
600g cooked mixed beetroot, peeled and sliced ½ cm thick
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Garnish

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Method

Pickling Cucumber: It is best to start this process the day before, or at least two hours before serving for the pickling process to be at its best.
To make the pickled cucumber, sprinkle a little salt over the cucumber and leave in a colander for 10 minutes, this will release some of the water.
Rinse the cucumber well then place in a bowl. Add sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds and olive oil then mix well. Leave to soften.
Preparing Puff Pastry: Preheat the oven to 190C gas 5.
Place the block of pastry onto a floured board and roll out to about 23 x 30cm. Using a small sharp knife, and not cutting all the way through the pastry, mark out a 2cm border around the edge of the pastry. Prick the centre area well with a fork. (this helps to allow air to escape and prevent the central section of the pastry to rise.
Carefully place onto a non-stick baking sheet and brush the edge with beaten egg. Place into the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through but not too coloured.
Preparing Courgette and Almond Base (optional alternative)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with parchment and brush with oil. Put all the ingredients for the base together in a bowl and mix with a large metal spoon.
It will form a fairly thick dough. Divide the dough into 2 and put a mound onto each tray. Press and shape each with wet hands into a circle 1cm deep and 18- 20cm in diameter. These should fit onto a large dinner plate when cooked.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the silicon sheets with the pizza bases carefully onto a flat surface, then set aside.
To make Hollandaise Sauce: First take a small pan and heat the butter on a hob until it melts completely and then starts to boil, remove and set aside. Please note that it is important the butter is boiling hot or the sauce won't form properly.
Put the yolks into a deep dish and add the juice of a lemon, together with some seasoning and then using a hand held blender, a few pulses will thicken this like mayonnaise. If you don't have a blender, then whisk the yolks in a baine marie (this is a pyrex bowl over a pan of boiling water), taking care not to curdle the egg mixture
Now slowly add the hot butter, whisking as you go and the sauce will thicken into a silky smooth consistency.
Now add the seasoning and Cayenne (if using), taste and if desired, add more lemon juice. Whisking as you go. It is as simple as that!
To Cook the Courgettes: Top and tail the courgettes, slice lengthwise and then cut into small pieces and sauté these in a pan with some olive oil and seasoning until soft and starting to turn golden, set aside and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess liquid and fats.
Assembly: Once the Pastry or Courgette and Almond base is cooked, spoon the hollandaise sauce over the central area and sprinkle over the spring onions, peas and courgettes.
Arrange the beetroots neatly on top, overlapping slightly, then drizzle a little olive oil.
Return to the oven for 15 minutes until the pastry is nicely browned and cooked.
Finally, pile the cucumber on the tart, sprinkle with more sesame seeds and serve.