SEASONAL VEGETABLE TART (SERVES 4)

Ingredients

2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed

A variety of small tomatoes (different colors, if available) Red and green bell peppers (capsicum)

Sliced courgette (zucchini)

Olives (optional)

100 grams of cream cheese

Salt and pepper

Pinch of dried thyme (or fresh, if available)

Sprig of fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano) 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 clove of finely chopped garlic

Olive oil

Basil leaves for garnishing (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).

2. Line a rectangular removable base tin (approximately 36cm long) with the thawed puff pastry sheets. You can either spray the tin with nonstick spray or brush it with olive oil.

3. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese with the herbs (dried thyme, oregano), seasonings (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes), and finely chopped garlic.

4. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the puff pastry in the prepared baking tin.

5. Place the tomatoes (some halved, some whole), bell peppers, sliced courgette, and olives (if using) onto the cream cheese mixture. Arrange them to cover the entire tray. Drizzle a little olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper.

6. Bake the tart in the preheated oven until the pastry is puffed and golden, and the vegetables are cooked. This typically takes about 20-25 minutes.

7. To ensure proper cooking of the base, preheat a flat tray in the hot oven and place the tart tin on it while baking. 8. Once cooked, remove the tart from the oven and garnish with a few basil leaves, if desired.

9. Serve the vegetable tart with a green salad for a light lunch or as part of a shared meal during a long lunch.