RATATOUILLE TART
A perfect dish to serve to friends, this can be eaten warm or at room temperature, so can sit until you are ready to eat. Best enjoyed on the day of making.
SERVES 4-6
2 courgettes, cut into 5mm slices 1 aubergine, cut into 5mm slices
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 3 large tomatoes (a mixture of different colours looks best), cut into 5mm slices 320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry 4 tbsp mascarpone
2 mozzarella balls, sliced
100g roasted red peppers from a jar, sliced
1 egg, beaten, to glaze fresh basil leaves, to garnish sea salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 9. Lay out the courgette and aubergine slices on a couple of large baking sheets and brush them on both sides with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Season, roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until starting to soften, then leave to cool for 10 minutes. Now pat the tomato slices dry and leave to drain on paper towels.
Put a large baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven to heat up. Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface and roll out further in one direction to make a square about
3mm thick, then trim off the corners to make a 30cm round disc. Transfer the pastry circle to a large piece of nonstick baking paper so that it’s easier to move once assembled.
Spread the mascarpone over the centre of the pastry, leaving a 5cm border all round the edge and season with salt and pepper. Layer up slices of courgette, aubergine, tomato, mozzarella and red peppers and arrange on top of the mascarpone in a spiral or concentric circles.
Drizzle with another tbsp of oil and fold in the sides to overlap the filling slightly, making a 3cm-4cm-wide crust. Brush the crust with egg, sprinkle with a little salt and slide the tart, on its paper, on to the hot baking sheet in the oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden and the vegetables have softened. Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature, scattered with basil leaves and drizzled with extra oil.